Into The Deep End
by BigRedMachineUK
Summary: Sasha has always played it safe in order to keep her life as simple and risk-free as possible. Things change, however, when she garners the interest of a handsome, charming, younger man from a completely different world than hers. As she starts to question her own rules, will she let herself take the biggest risk of them all? Is she ready to take that dive? Roman/OC
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: So…I'm back with a wrestling fic. I'll be lying if I say I'll be updating my old ones anytime soon…I just don't have the strength to right now. I only returned because this plot line was stuck in my head for weeks and it wasn't going anywhere. It's also one I've never seen, so decided to give it a try.**_

_**Obviously the talk of the wrestling town for the past year has been The Shield, and like everyone else, I agree with how badass they look in and out of the ring. I honestly believe Jon Good and Colby Lopez are the future of the WWE in every sense of the word, and Joe Anoa'i is legit one of the best-looking men I've ever seen. So I've decided to jump on the bandwagon and feature them in my new fic. I do hope you get to read and enjoy it, and hopefully review! The first set of feedback is essential because it encourages us writers to keep going. So if you like (or not), kindly let me know. Much appreciated. :)**_

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Sasha Morgan scoured the dairy section of the supermarket in search of skimmed milk, her annoyance growing when it was nowhere to be found. Why was it always that whenever she urgently needed something, it was always out of stock? Happened all the damn time. She couldn't drink any other kind of milk – it was cheaper, for one – and she wasn't sure when she would have time to come back here. For some reason this unfortunate incident was grating on her nerves. She could easily chalk her foul mood to lack of sleep last night. Her bed got lumpier and less comfortable with each passing day. But there was no money lying around to replace the mattress, so she had to suck it up. Experience had since established that uncomfortable mattresses were far better than sleeping on the floor. Still, it did nothing to alleviate her sour disposition.

A heavy sigh escaped her when she remembered she hadn't come to the store alone. What was taking Tyson so long to get a couple of batteries? He was the reason they were here in the first place, to buy batteries for the camera he was using for his field trip today, and the reason he was about to be late for school and she for work. Why he couldn't have reminded her of the batteries during the weekend, she didn't know. She wasn't about to go looking for him. She was leaving the store, and if he wasn't there by the time the bus came, she was leaving without him.

Turning around to make for the exit, she collided into what felt like a brick wall. The impact threw her off balance, and she was sure she would have fallen if she hadn't been grabbed by her arms and held steady before she could keel over.

"Crap. I'm so sorry, ma'am," she heard a deep voice say above her. Regaining her bearings, she pulled away from the strong grip and pushed her hair out of her eyes, more than ready to deliver a well-deserved verbal lashing at her assailant. But when she raised her head, her mouth instantly went dry.

_Wow._

He had to be the biggest man she'd ever seen. Well over six feet in height, he towered easily over her five-foot-three frame. He was built powerfully, with muscles everywhere, accentuated by the tight t-shirt stretched across his broad chest. His dark hair was pulled back in a long, slick ponytail, a goatee highlighting his bearded face. At first glance he reminded her a lot of Reggie back at the Grill, with his smooth olive skin tone and strong features, only he was taller than her boss. And much better-looking…

"Sorry about that. Are you okay?" he asked her with concern in his eyes, which, if she was not mistaken, were grey. She would remember those eyes for a long time. She caught herself, however, frowning up at him because he'd jeopardized her safety.

"I would be if you didn't almost run me over with your big-ass self," she retorted. Her smart mouth had gotten her into trouble a couple of times in her life. This was looking like another one of those times. This guy could easily whip her ass with one arm tied behind his back, but in the temperament she was in she was sure she could give him a run for his money. Living in scrappy neighborhoods all her life had taught her a thing or two.

"Hey, I'm trying to apologize here. Relax." His voice was calm and harbored a hint of humor, making Sasha wonder what the heck was so funny. _Relax. Easy for him to say._ "Just watch where you're going next time." With that, she slipped past him and exited the aisles, muttering under her breath while scanning the busy area for her wayward son. Almost on cue, he came barreling over. "Got the batteries," he announced between labored breaths. "Ready to go?"

She fixed him with a glare. "What took so long?"

Tyson, or T.K. as he preferred to be called – put on his most innocent face. "I was checking out a book for Mia." He wasn't about to admit that he was at the magazine section skimming through the latest editions of _VIBE_ and _The Source_ and lost track of time, she would whip his ass. But everyone at school had read them already, and he didn't want to feel left out during conversations.

"Boy, I always know when you lying, remember? You have the disadvantage of being light-skinned, so your ears turn slightly red." She gave him a look, and he had the decency to hang his head. He'd almost forgotten about his mother's ability to pick out a lie before he even opened his mouth. "I'm sorry, ma." He hadn't meant to; he only wanted a peek of the magazines. Besides, he knew she wouldn't buy them for him anyway. There were more important things to do with the little money they had. Plus, his mother was probably the only black woman on the planet that disliked rap music.

"You better be," she tossed back, rolling her eyes in exasperation at the ridiculously long queue ahead of them at the check-out. In reality it was only about five people but when you were running late, five felt like fifty.

"Mom, that's Roman Reigns," T.K. said, his voice dropping to an excited whisper.

They'd finally reached the front of the check-out and she was busy ruffling through her bag for her wallet. "Who?"

"Over there." He pointed. "That's Roman Reigns from The Shield."

She had no idea what he was talking about. She looked up and followed his pointed finger, her stomach dropping when she spotted the big burly man she'd mouthed off to, walking out of the supermarket with a bag of groceries. "Yeah, so?"

"You don't watch wrestling mom, he's from The Shield, in the WWE," T.K. informed her. "They're the coolest, ma. Their ring gear is so dope." His eyes were still following the man when they left the supermarket. "Can I go get a picture?!"

"Tyson you are late for school." Sasha looked out for the bus.

"Please? It'll only take a minute. I promise I'll be quick. Pretty please, Ma?" He then widened his eyes in that familiar, puppy-dog fashion that Sasha had never quite been able to resist in his seventeen years of existence. With great disinclination, she rolled her own eyes. "Fine. Hurry up. If you miss the bus you gonna be walking five miles to school."

T.K. grinned in yet another triumph over his mom. "Thanks, Ma!" In a flash, he switched directions towards the parking lot. _So he's famous. Just great_, she thought. On the bright side, Tyson hadn't asked her to tag along, sparing her from another awkward encounter with the stranger.

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"Hey, Roman! Roman Reigns?"

Shutting the back seat of his Range Rover, Joe Anoa'i swallowed back a tired sigh as yet another fan called his name. He had hoped to dash in and out of the grocery store without being recognized, but no such luck. He wasn't in the mood but he ultimately understood that pleasing the fans came first. Plastering another fake smile on his face, he turned around to face the kid. "Hey! What's up, man?"

"Sorry to bug you, man. Saw you in the supermarket. I'm a big fan. Could I get a picture?" T.K. held up his camera hopefully, thanking God that he had already put in the new batteries.

"Sure." Joe obliged him, taking the picture without a fuss. "Thanks man, Appreciate it." T.K. smiled, "Y'know, one of these days I'ma be in the WWE."

If he had a dollar for every time he heard that, he'd be on Cena's figure salary by now. There was nothing wrong with dreaming though. "Really?"

"Yeah. I'm on the wrestling _and_ basketball teams," was his proud reply. "You'll be seeing me in one of the big leagues soon. NBA or WWE. T.K. Morgan. Remember the name," T.K. boasted, and Joe chuckled. The kid was confident, he had to give him that.

"Ty! Come on, let's go!"

Joe looked past T.K. and spotted the lady he'd bumped into at the store standing at the bus stop and frowning in their direction. "You know her?" he inquired, his curiosity somewhat piqued.

At that, the teenager immediately became defensive. "Yeah. Why?" There were only two reasons men asked about his mother; either they wanted to get with her – it was bad enough his friends at school kept harping on about how 'hot' his mom was – ewww – or they wanted to get at her because she'd been hostile towards them in some capacity. Neither was an option for T.K. He had a duty to protect his mother. If he had his way, no man would come near her ever again.

Joe wasn't an idiot. He immediately sensed the boy's hostility, and deemed it wise to keep his true intentions to himself. "Looks like she's waiting on you," he pointed out.

T.K. sighed, casting a quick glance over his shoulder. "Yeah. Sorry, I gotta go. Late for school. Awesome to meet you."

"My pleasure, man. Stay safe, and good luck with school. That's the most important thing."

"Thanks, bro. Believe in The Shield!" Exchanging one last quick bye, he hurried back to Sasha, following her aboard the bus. "What did you say to him?" he asked the moment he was within his mom's earshot.

"Say to who?"

"Roman. What did you say to him at the store?"

"Who, that guy? He bumped into me in the dairy section. Hard. I nearly fell over." A look of disbelief crossed her features. "Wait, he_ ratted_ me out to you? That's mature."

T.K. shook his head as they sat next to each other in the back of the bus. "He didn't rat you out, ma. He had this look on his face when he asked who you were, like you'd already met. You probably chewed his ass out, like you always do."

"What did I tell you about cussin', boy?"

"Sorry, Ma. You were rude to him, weren't you? You do that a lot, you know. You need to tone it down, Ma."

"So you're choosing Mr. Muscles over your own mother? That's a lot of groupie love, Tyson."

"I'm not a groupie!" T.K. defended himself.

Sasha smirked. "You sure? Your eyes nearly bugged out of your sockets when you saw him. You rushed over there to meet him like lightning. I think I've only ever seen those Justin Bieber fan girls do that."

T.K. was horrified. "Mom, you did not just compare me to Beliebers!"

"What? That's kind of what it looked like from where I was standing. It was actually cute seeing you all flustered like that." She pinched his cheek, but he ducked out of her reach and abruptly turned to face the window. "I am never speaking to you again," he huffed, as Sasha cackled beside him. "You know I'm just playin' around, baby," she stated, ruffling his short wavy hair.

"I know, ma," he smiled, giving her a kiss on the cheek before returning his focus outside. Sasha gazed lovingly at her son. If there was anything she'd done right in this life, it was raising him. And without help, too. She thought about how some moms complained about their boys and realized she didn't have a single grievance to make about T.K. He was respectful, helped out with his little sister, got good grades and was well-liked by the staff and students of his school. Times were hard at home and had been for a long time. Other kids would have been acting out, but Tyson never complained, not once. For a teenage boy without a father figure in his life, he'd turned out okay. He was the light of Sasha's life, her pride and joy, him and Mia, and she would move mountains for them both. Things weren't easy right now but they were going to be better, the single mother kept promising herself. They had to. She and her children had been through too much for there to be any other outcome.

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_**A/N: Slow start, I know. But the next chapter will pick up, I promise. Kindly review!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Big, big thanks to typhoidcandy, justkimmy and caz21 for the very first reviews. Also, thank you to everyone that's favorited and followed. I totally appreciate the faith you have in this story even with just one chapter. Enjoy chapter 2!**_

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"You're late again, Sash!" Reggie raised his voice when he heard Sasha bursting into _Reggie's Bar &amp; Grill_ through the back door.

"Ignore him," a young brunette called out to Sasha as she wiped the top of the bar counter. "It's only Wayne and Nick in here."

"Last I checked, Amber, our security are technically customers," Reggie pointed out, and Amber stuck her tongue out at him.

Sasha set her purse in the coatroom before picking up her forest green apron and rushing out into the main area. "Sorry. Had to pick up something urgently for Tyson."

"Ah, T.K. How's my boy doing? And Mia? Been a while since they visited," said Reggie. "Cheryl's asked about them, and Gabby and Regina miss Mia."

"I know, right?" She owed a lot to Reggie Hernandez, the burly Hawaiian man who had somehow tiptoed into her life and become one of her best friends in the whole world. He'd seen her through a lot of good and bad times, culminating the day he offered her a position at _Reggie's Bar &amp; Grill_ after she'd lost her job at the local post office. His wife, Cheryl was a sweetheart, as were his beautiful twin daughters, who were a year older than her little girl. "I'll try to bring the kids over this weekend. We could have lunch or something," Sasha suggested.

"Sounds good," Reggie agreed. "By the way, a friend of mine is coming over to check out the Grill."

"You have the most friends out of everybody I know, including me," Amber commented. And Amber had _a lot_ of friends. No surprise, given her bubbly nature and quirky personality. At first Sasha found it a little annoying, but she eventually warmed up to the young brunette. It helped that she was super-efficient at handling the cash register. She was a sweet girl. A bit naïve, but she had a heart of gold and was an asset to _Reggie's Bar &amp; Grill_, and that was what ultimately mattered.

"Yeah, and you're always bringin' 'em here, giving them free food. You're gonna run us into the ground if you keep that up," Sasha teased Reggie, who waved their complaints away good-naturedly. "Y'all are dramatic," he laughed, "And it's Joe, Amber. Remember him?"

Amber's eyes widened. "Oh, do I _ever_," she answered, inadvertently licking her lips.

"Been a while since he was in town, he's always on the road with his job and all," Reggie mused. "It'll be great to see him."

Intrigued by Amber's reaction, Sasha went over to her. "Who's Joe?" she inquired quietly, "Don't tell me you've slept with him too."

"I wish," Amber said sadly. "He's a wrestler. You should see him Sash. He is so hot, oh my God. He has the most amazing eyes and-"

Sasha had already tuned her out, wondering if it was raining wrestlers today. Reggie had quite a few of those musclehead friends, wrestlers, bodybuilders and the like, and the ones she'd met were assholes. "Right. Have fun with that," she said, before going over to attend to Maurice, an elderly regular customer at the Grill. It was people like him that made Sasha enjoy working there. It wasn't the biggest bar in Tampa Bay, but they had the most loyal customers, which furthered the friendly ambience Reggie strived for. As homely as it was during the day however, nighttime was a different ball game, when the alcohol began to flow and the place became more rowdy, but that was expected. Sasha wasn't fond of working shifts at night, especially since she had to be away from Ty and Mia, but she ultimately knew it was something she had to do to keep her income afloat.

An hour later there was a small commotion as Sasha heard Reggie's deep, loud voice greeting someone. Glancing towards the entrance of the Grill, her jaw dropped. "Oh hell no."

Standing at the door, man-hugging her muscular boss, was an even more muscular man. And not just any muscular man – the same one from the supermarket, the one Tyson got a picture from. That was Joe, the friend Reggie and Amber were talking about? Could she ever catch a break? Which deity had she pissed off today?

Before she knew it, Reggie was already leading him towards the bar where she was. "Hey Sash, I want you to meet Joe. He's the friend I was talking about. Joe, you already know Amber, this is Sasha. Sasha's my co-manager. She runs the Grill in my absence."

Joe looked straight at Sasha, cocking his head in recognition. He remembered her. Oh Lord. "Hi. Nice to meet you…again," he intoned, his deep voice holding a teasing tone that made Sasha feel even more awkward.

Reggie looked back and forth between them. "You two know each other?"

Chuckling, Joe shook his head. "No, we ran into each other at the supermarket this morning. Literally. Still sorry about that, by the way."

Her face burning, Sasha was only able to muster a nod. "It's okay. And sorry about my moment of madness."

"It happens," said Joe, the smile he gave her stirring something inside her that had no business being stirred_._

Reggie shook his head. "Don't worry Uce, we've all gotten our heads bitten off by Sash at one time or the other," he said, winking when Sasha glared at him. "So what would you like, bro? Whatever you want is on the house."

Making her way back around the counter, she could feel Joe's eyes on her. She wanted to believe it was a figment of her imagination, but it was that familiar heightened sensation of awareness that told her otherwise. Still, she didn't dare confirm it. Amber openly ogled Joe, as did most of the women inside the Grill. Sasha was sure he was used to all the attention. He was famous after all, not to mention ridiculously good-looking…

_Sasha, stop it._ "Amber, we've run out of napkins. Could you get some?" she asked, turning when the younger woman didn't respond. "Amber?"

Amber finally tore her eyes away from Joe, her face flushing. "Yeah. Napkins. Right." She hurried away, fanning herself dramatically as she passed Sasha. Holding back a smile, Sasha caught Joe's gaze, his penetrative stare causing warmth to bloom within her body. Mortified by her reactions, she glanced down and cleared her throat. "So what will it be?"

"I'll have a coffee, decaf, black," Joe rattled off, sliding gracefully onto a bar stool and leaning against the counter. "So what's it like, working with Reg? He a pain in the butt?"

"Seeing as he's within earshot, I'm gonna say he's the best boss in the world. But don't tell him I said that, his head barely fits into this place as it is," she whispered.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me," Joe laughed. The sound came easy to him, and her insides warmed again. She shut it down quickly. "Joe, right?" she questioned, "Thought your name was Roman." At least that's what she heard Tyson call him.

"Roman's my stage name," he clarified. "I'm a professional wrestler."

He definitely looked the part. Unintentionally, Sasha looked him over once more, taking in the sheer magnitude of him. His massive biceps strained his t-shirt, accentuated by the tattoo adorning his entire right arm. She kept looking at his eyes though. She'd never seen grey eyes on someone with his skin tone before, at last not in person. It was an exotic, extremely sexy combination.

_Calm the heck down, Sasha, can't you see how young he is?_

"I can't remember the last time I watched wrestling," she admitted out loud. "Ten? Fifteen years ago?"

"That's a long time," said Joe.

"I guess it is," Sasha shrugged.

"Shame. But your little brother's a fan, so that's a small victory, right?"

She started to correct him about Tyson but quickly stopped herself. There was no reason to be divulging her personal life with a stranger. "Yeah. It's not really my thing, no offence."

"None taken. Though I do think you should start watching again."

"And why's that?"

"Cause I'm in it now," Joe stated matter-of-factly, causing Sasha to laugh. The truth was, she wasn't about to tell him she didn't watch wrestling because she couldn't afford cable. Tyson always stayed over at his friends' house on Monday and Friday nights so he could catch wrestling. "Not cocky at all," she said. "Nice try, but I think I'll pass."

Joe pretended to be hurt. "Not even for me?"

Sasha laughed again. "Why? We don't even know each other."

"Good point. Though I definitely won't mind getting to know a woman as beautiful as yourself."

Sasha raised an eyebrow. Surely he wasn't trying to flirt with her. She stared back as he looked into her eyes, wearing a smirk that she normally regarded as arrogant. By every standard it was a cheesy statement but here she was, enamored. Quiet confidence oozed from him like a subtle fragrance. Reflexively, she tightened the fingers of her left hand around her apron, ruffled by this strange attraction sparking inside her.

"Yo! Joe, come take a seat!" Reggie called.

"Go ahead, we'll bring your coffee right over," Sasha added, unsure that she could handle his nearness any longer.

"Thanks." Joe's gaze lingered on her for a beat before going over to join his friend. Sasha turned her back, letting out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Sending Amber over with his beverage, she smiled and shook her head at the way the brunette giggled like a schoolgirl at whatever he saying to her. Amber clearly liked Joe and it seemed mutual. Sasha went about her business around the Grill, serving customers, helping out Amber, doing what she could to keep her attention away from Reggie's handsome friend. Occasionally she would look his way and find him staring at her. She didn't quite know what to make of it, but she thought it best not to dwell on it. Too much.

Joe hung out with Reggie for close to an hour, returning to the bar when it was time to say goodbye. "We work for tips," Sasha told him, tapping the little cylindrical box that stood on the display, and grinned when Joe slid a ten dollar bill into the slit in the box. "Coffee was great, thank you," he said to her.

"No worries. Would you like anything else? Another coffee for the road, maybe?" Sasha asked him.

"Actually," he stated, leaning against the counter, "I was hoping your phone number."

That took Sasha completely by surprise. He had to be kidding, surely. Did he not realize there was a near-decade age gap, at least, between them? Guys like him went for women his own age; younger, skinnier, better-looking girls like Amber. Not women pushing forty with two kids. And he didn't even know about her kids, either. Nah, he didn't mean it. He was just playing around. Right?

But much to her surprise, he looked dead serious. Sasha didn't know what to think. An eternity passed before she found her voice again. "I'm sorry, but that's not on the menu." She was about turning away when he took out a pen, scribbled down something on a napkin and slid it over to her. Sasha stared down at it in confusion. "What's this?" she said, eyeing up the digits scrawled on the soft fabric.

"My number," Joe replied. His voice was low and smooth, possessing the self-assurance of one who rarely experienced rejection. "Since you're not comfortable giving me yours, I guess I'll give you mine."

Sasha almost laughed out loud_. Is this kid for real? _"I don't think so…"

"Please. Keep it," he insisted when she tried to slide the napkin back to him. "You might change your mind." He smiled again, and Sasha's eyebrows reached her hairline. If anything, she was impressed by his audacity. "You sure are a confident man, Joe," she had to say.

"I try to be." He pushed himself off the counter. "I gotta get going. See you again soon, Sasha. Amber," He flashed the brunette a smile that turned her to a puddle of goo where she stood. Sasha watched him walk out the door, and it was the sound of Amber's voice that made her realize she was still staring.

"I knew it! I knew he was into you!"

Sasha scrunched up her nose, quickly putting the napkin away. "No he's not. Don't be dramatic."

"He just gave you his phone number, of course he is! And he kept looking in your direction every five seconds when he was with Reggie! Oh my gosh, Sasha!" she squealed happily. "So are you gonna call him?"

"No." Was the answer not obvious?

"Yeah right," Amber scoffed, "No red-blooded woman in her right mind would pass up a guy like that. Did you look at him?"

Sasha smirked. "Who told you I'm in my right mind?"

"True, you usually aren't," Amber joked. "Come on, Sash. He wants you to call him. And I know you want to. Yeah, you do," she added just as Sasha opened her mouth to protest, "Don't think I didn't see you watching him, too. I think you should go for it. What have you got to lose?"

Where should she start? Sasha pursed her lips, glancing back at the door before settling her eyes on the napkin. She had to hand it to the guy. He had balls.

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_**A/N: Thoughts? Haven't started 3 at all so bear with me. Kindly review! :D**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Great response to this story so far. Thank you to **__IRENELOVE83, typhoidcandy, nikki1335, xoxo olivia, justkimmy, Alexis Black-Reigns __**and**__ Guest __**for the reviews.**_

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Walking through the door into her small apartment, Sasha's heart sank as she picked through her mail. Bill after bill to pay. She tossed them onto the small dining table, in no mood to deal with them. It had been a long, annoying shift at the Grill and she was just glad to be home. T.K. was at basketball practice preparing for his high school's big game, while Mia was on her way to the apartment from elementary school. Sasha made dinner and cleaned up the house to pass the time.

There was a knock on the door and two familiar voices talking and giggling outside. Once Sasha unlocked the door, her eight-year-old daughter barreled into her arms. "Hi Mama!"

"Hey baby," she cooed lovingly, picking her up and ruffling the little girl's afro. "How was school today?"

"Good." Mia grinned, holding up a hand-drawn picture in her hand. "I painted a picture of a butterfly and Miss Ferry gave me a gold star!"

"It looks amazing," Sasha praised, looking over at the toned, petite woman shrugging off her jacket. "Hey girl."

"Hey, Sash." Pamela Winters was Sasha's best friend since middle school. Pam was the Louise to Sasha's Thelma, her sister from another mother. They shared some wild times together over the years and though their lives took different paths, they still remained incredibly close. Sasha honestly didn't know where she would be today without Pam's support.

"Baby, go get cleaned up for dinner, okay?" Sasha said to Mia, watching the little girl bound off into the bedroom. Pam took a seat at the small round kitchen table. "Long ass day," she grumbled.

Sasha reached into the fridge and handed Pam a bottle of water. "What happened? Did you run into another pervert gym goer?" Pam was a personal trainer and dance instructor at a local gym, and both women always had nightmare stories to share about their respective jobs at the end of every day.

"Not this time, thank God. Oh, I forgot to tell you; so I met this guy at the gym a couple of days ago. New customer, only just registered like, a week ago," said Pam. "We had a little chat and I figured he'd be perfect for-"

Sasha rolled her eyes at the mysterious tone of her friend's voice. She met a new guy every day and proceeded to date at least half of them. "Right. Let me know when y'alls wedding's taking place," she interrupted.

"I wasn't checkin' him out for me, smartass," Pam took a sip of her water. "I was checkin' him out for you."

Sasha turned to look at her. "You're kiddin' me, right?" At the look on Pam's face, she nearly choked in realization. "Pamela Winters what have you done?" she demanded.

"Look, I don't expect you to fall instantly in love with the guy. It's just one date."

"_Date_? Are you serious? You set me up on a date?"

"He's a nice dude. And he ain't exactly shabby neither. His name is Elgin, he's an accountant and he's Ivy League…or so he said."

"Cancel it."

"Aren't you gonna hear me out first?"

"Hell no. His name is _Elgin, _that's enough to say no. Wouldn't be interested anyway."

Pam threw up her hands. "Now that's just being mean. Discriminating a guy based on his name?"

"You'd do the exact same thing, trick. Cancel it."

"Relax Sash, jeez. Why are you so adamant about it anyway?" Pam asked. Just then, something inside Sasha's open handbag caught her eye. Reaching inside, she plucked out the pink napkin sticking out and looked at it curiously. Her eyes widened. "Who the hell is Joe?"

"Pam!" Sasha cried, horrified. "Give that back!" She snatched at it, but Pam held it out of reach. "Did you get this at work? You been working at the Grill for over a year and not once have you brought back any guy's phone number. I want answers, Morgan! Who's Joe?"

Pam could be stubborn as a mule when she wanted to be. So could she, but right now she was too tired to argue. "Fine. If you must know, Joe is a friend of Reggie's. He's a wrestler apparently. Showed up at the Grill this morning for a visit, to catch up with Reg and stuff."

"Oooh, a wrestler," Pam cooed. She opened up a bowl of chicken salad and stabbed a fork in it. "How hot is he? Them wrestling guys are always hot."

Joe's ash-colored irises and smile flashed before Sasha's eyes. _He's beautiful._ "He's pretty good-looking," she replied nonchalantly. "He goes by Roman when he's wrestling. Roman something, I can't remember."

Pam nearly fell out of her chair. "Trick, I _know_ you ain't talkin' 'bout Roman Reigns!"

Sasha narrowed her eyes. "I didn't know you watch wrestling."

"Scott, Brandy and Gretchen do," said Pam, referring to her fellow trainers at the gym. "It's all they ever make me friggin' watch at the gym. I seen Roman Reigns, Sash, and that ain't just 'good looking'. That boy is delicious with a capital delish! All them muscles everywhere, that 'all-black-everything' swag, those sexy-ass lips, hair all long and wet…" Pam shivered and fanned herself. "Damn, Sash. I know you got game but you ain't told me you ball like that."

"I ain't got no game," the mother-of-two refuted, though she fought back a smile. "From what I recall, he did all the work."

"Of course, Miss Old-School. So how did it happen? What did he say to you? Details, now!"

Taking a seat at the table, Sasha found herself rehashing the events of the morning, at the supermarket and the Grill. She skipped the part where he'd complimented her as she didn't want to put any weight on it. Pam listened intently, giggling the entire time.

"Girl, you crazy," she laughed. "I'm tellin' you, somebody's gonna beat your ass because of your damn mouth."

"It won't be the first time," she shrugged, "and you know I can handle myself."

Pam nodded. She knew that very well. "Well, the boy was straight-up with you. He obviously knows what he wants," she concluded, clearly impressed by her friend's catch. "So have you called him yet?"

"Nope. Don't wanna."

"Why the hell not? Babe, you saw what he looks like. You tryin' to tell me you turned that fine piece of ass down? Are you gay?"

"That 'fine piece of ass' is a tad too young for me, Pam. He's hot as hell but he's probably like twenty-five," Sasha said flippantly. "Besides, he's probably bored and looking for someone to pass the time with."

"So damn what? That makes things even better for you. Ask any woman; younger men are always an ego boost, not mentioning men that look like _that_. Like I said, I don't expect you to marry him. If it's just sex he wants, even better. Get in, get off and get out. Simple."

"Pamela. I'm a mom. I'm a little old for one night stands."

"Oh for God's sake." Pam reached for Sasha's phone and started to dial the number until Sasha snatched her phone back. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Pam shot back. "This is the first time in forever you've had the chance to inject some adventure back into your life and here you are shittin' all over it. You got a fine-ass man chasing you and you frontin'. So what if you're older than him? That shit don't matter anymore."

"It does to me. I've never been with a younger guy before. It feels weird."

"You shouldn't feel weird. You should be proud. It's not often we old hags catch the eye of the younger types, let alone the sexy ones." Pam exhaled at the look on Sasha's face. "Come on, Sash. The frigid old lady inside you has ruled the roost for long enough. It's time to get that bitch out of you and get something else _inside_ you, if you know what I mean." Pam winked and took a bite of chicken. "Speaking of bitch…where T.K.'s daddy at? You gotten anything from him lately?"

A sound of disgust left Sasha's mouth. The last thing she wanted on her mind was that fool. "You know I don't like askin' him for nothin'."

"You ain't askin' for you. You're asking for your son. _His_ son. It's his duty. You're breaking your back raising his kid on your own while he's off playing happy families with some tramp. Only God knows how much he's owing in child support. You need to meet him, Sash, and settle this. Hell, if you need me to come with you, I will."

The last time those two came face to face, Pam left with a clump of his hair in her fist. "I appreciate it, but I'll handle it myself. Just like I'll handle Joe on my own," said Sasha.

Pam snorted. "Knowing you, the minute I step out that door you'll toss that napkin. You're reading too much into it. When was the last time you had some quality man time? I know it's been a while, and you are overdue." Pushing her salad bowl aside, she leaned back in her seat. "Look girl, it's either Roman or Elgin. Gotta be one. Or _you_ give me Roman's number so_ I_ can call him and go tap that ass myself."

"That's not gonna happen."

"Didn't think so. Selfish bitch."

Sasha couldn't help but laugh. No matter what problem she had, Pam never failed to make her feel somewhat better.

Pam pointed her fork at the taller woman. "You better call that man. Have some fun, Sasha. Shiiit. You lucky Brandy's not here. If she knew Roman Reigns is in town and you had his number, she'd slit your throat, take the number and go find him herself."

Sasha's eyes fell back to the pink paper napkin. Pam had always said motherhood had mellowed her. She was right to an extent. Though she still had some spunk left in her, most of it dissipated after Mia was born. So much had changed since high school. So much had changed _her_, and she wasn't sure the audacious, happy-go-lucky teenager would ever come back. Don't get it wrong, she still liked to have fun, but she was cautious now. Which was why she couldn't bring herself to call Joe. Because there was a probability that somewhere deep inside her, she wanted that caution gone. She craved excitement. Which was ridiculous given that she was a thirty-five-year-old single mother of two children. There was no place for thrills, not when she was her kids' whole world, their only parent, their security.

But maybe Pam and Amber were right. There had to be room for a little plain old fun. Joe seemed like a nice enough guy, and damn if she wasn't attracted to him. She would call him, find out what he wanted, and see where it went from there. No big deal.

* * *

Twelve hours had gone by and she still hadn't pulled the trigger. She came to the Grill the next morning and spent the entire time glancing at the door expecting Joe to walk through it. She hated the fact that she was nervous. Ignoring Amber's incessant questioning, she snuck off during her lunch break, staring at the napkin clutched in one hand and her phone in the other. Sasha sighed heavily. _Here goes nothing. _Punching in the numbers, she listened to the dial tone, one part of her praying he picked up and the other part praying he didn't. She rubbed her sweaty palm over her jeans, willing herself to remain calm.

He picked up on the fourth ring. "Anoa'i." His deep voice reverberated through the phone and through her spine. _This is a bad idea. _

"Um, hi. Am I speaking to Joe?" she asked

"Who's askin'?"

She understood his apprehension. He probably thought it was a fan. "It's um, Sasha. Reggie's co-worker?" God, she sounded stupid and felt even worse. There was a long pause on the line, and she wondered if the call had been disconnected. Good. Maybe she should hang up and forget it ever happened.

When Joe spoke again, his voice was considerably softer. "I was hoping you would call."

She cleared her throat. She couldn't remember ever being this nervous about anything. "So how are you?"

"Now that I'm talking with you, I'm great."

She couldn't lie; he sure was smooth. And she could tell it came naturally to him; never had to break a sweat with the ladies.

"So how are you Sasha? How's your day been?" he asked.

_My God, he sounds even sexier over the phone_. "Not bad, actually. The Grill's quiet today, so it's been uneventful," Sasha said aloud. "What about you? Anything exciting happen today?"

"Nah, pretty much the same here. A bit of gym time in the morning, but haven't done much else all day."

Sasha chuckled, and for a moment, it was like chatting with an old friend. "Sounds like a blast."

"It is, trust me," Joe replied with equal humor. Silence fell between them again, and the tension returned. Then he said, "Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?"

Although it had lingered in the back of her mind, the question still came as a shock to her. _Play it cool. Play it cool._ "Sure," she answered, patting herself on the back for sounding so composed. Thank God she'd switched her shift.

"Great." There was a hint of what sounded like relief in his voice. "I can come pick you up. What time's good for you?"

She couldn't believe it had gotten this far. It was all happening so fast, but all she could say was "Eight sounds good. I won't be at the Grill so I'll have to text you my address."

"Awesome. Eight it is, then."

After another minute or so of idle chit-chat, they hung up, and Sasha stared at her cell phone in a mix of disbelief and excitement. There. She'd done it. Now all she had to do was wait and hope that she hadn't made a mistake.

* * *

_**A/N: Gosh, I hope this chapter didn't seem too lame. I'll make the story more exciting, I promise. Kindly review! And kindly check out my other fic, 'Hounds Undone' if you have the time.**_ _**Thanks! :)**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Wow, I'm loving the feedback for this. I wasn't sure anyone would warm up to a storyline like this, but I appreciate your responses. Thank you especially to **__wwefanatic365, xoxo Olivia, IRENELOVE83, nikki1335, Tammy, ChelleLew__** and **__justkimmy __**for the fabulous reviews.**_

_**It's date night! Enjoy!**_

* * *

Joe stood at the foot of his king-size bed, eyeing up the shirts and jackets lined up. He was still walking around in a towel, half an hour after showering. He always took a while to get ready, definitely took the longest of the three members of The Shield. He prided himself on his appearance, always made sure everything was put together and carefully planned. It wasn't necessarily because he was vain. His bigger frame forced him to be more careful about what he wore. Colby looked effortless no matter what he had on, while Jon didn't give a shit as long as it covered him up and he looked decent. Joe didn't quite have that luxury, so he was more particular than most. Tonight however, it was imperative that he dressed to impress.

He shook his head, a short laugh escaping him. Joe wasn't known to be nervous often, but this was one of those times. He couldn't remember the last time he'd actively pursued a woman. He hardly ever made the first move, simply because women flocked to him before he even opened his mouth. Sasha was the first woman in a long time that made him look twice, that sparked a genuine interest in him. He wasn't going to lie; he thought his forwardness would blow up in his face, after what had happened at the grocery store and after she'd tried to turn him down at the Grill. It surprised him to know the unfamiliar number flashing on his iPhone belonged to her. He'd played it cool when he picked up and hoped he'd pulled it off. It was a long time since anyone made him feel this way. There was something there and he was willing to pursue it.

He got dressed in a grey button-down shirt and black pants. He opted for the business casual look, not knowing how Sasha herself would be dressed. Checking his appearance one more time, he grabbed his phone, car keys and wallet before heading outside to his Range Rover.

* * *

Sasha stood in front of the full length mirror, pulling the zipper up the side of her black long-sleeved dress. She slipped into a black pair of high heels that she hadn't worn in a long time and hoped she wouldn't fall on her face tonight. She stood up straight and stared at her reflection. Hair up or hair down? Was the dress too short? Too flashy? Was she showing too much cleavage? Should she have used the nude lipstick, or just stick with the red? What was going to happen tonight?

_Relax, Sasha. It's just dinner. Nothing more._ But what if Joe wanted more? Did _she_? Could she handle it? She recalled Pam's words from the day before: _If it's just sex he wants, even better. Get in, get off, get out. _Sasha wished it was that simple. A number of daunting scenarios traveled through her mind, but she pushed them all aside before she could change her mind about the whole thing.

A text message flashed up on her phone. Joe was here. She was worried he'd have some difficulty finding her place but apparently not. She took a final deep breath in front of the mirror. _Too late to back out now. God I look like a hooker._

Stepping out of her apartment building, she saw Joe walk around the parked Range Rover to the passenger's side. He looked like he'd just stepped out of a photo shoot, that dress shirt and slacks doing wonders to his imposing figure. _Damn._ She walked towards him, a smile forming at his expression. "Hi."

"Hey." It was all Joe could do not to drool all over the curb. She looked amazing. Her hair was down and wavy, as opposed to the severe ponytail she had at the Grill. Her black sequinned dress clung to her curves and accentuated her chest and that delectable backside of hers. He would know; he'd spent the entire time at the Grill staring at it, imagining how it would feel beneath his palms. He settled instead for her hand, planting a small kiss on the back of it. "You look beautiful," he remarked.

"Thank you. You look good yourself." The kiss was unexpected and made Sasha's heart beat faster. She climbed through the door he opened for her, smoothing down her dress. Gosh, she was nervous and then some.

"So, anything you're in the mood for?" asked Joe, willing himself not to openly ogle her thighs. "Mexican? Italian? Thai?"

"Thai sounds good."

"Then Thai it is."

The drive to the restaurant was relatively quiet. They found a private corner in the dimly lit establishment, soft music played in the background, creating ideal conditions for conversation. They sipped on their drinks while waiting for their orders. Sasha decided to break the ice. "When you answered the phone, there was something you said. It sounded like a foreign language. What was it?"

Joe squinted in thought. "Oh yeah. I said Anoa'i. It's my last name."

"Anoa'i," she repeated, getting a feel of it. "Much more exotic than Morgan. Is it Hawaiian?"

Joe shifted in his seat, glad she couldn't see just _how_ much his body liked the way his name rolled off her tongue. "Nearly there. Samoa. My dad moved to the States when he was fourteen. I grew up in Pensacola, but moved to Tampa when I started training to wrestle."

"More points to you for the exoticness. I was born and bred in Tampa. So do you go back to Samoa often?" Sasha sat back in her chair and studied his face. The word beautiful did not do him justice. His skin was smooth and an appealing mix of olive and caramel. His jaw and cheekbones could have easily been carved from marble. She knew grown women that would slit a throat or two for hair like his. She wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through it. And his eyes...she was a sucker for beautiful eyes, and she could easily look into his all night if she was allowed.

"Actually, I've never been," Joe was saying. "Been to Hawaii tons of times though. That's where my mom's from. We're there at least twice a year for family occasions and stuff."

"Are they anything like Reggie's? One time I went to one of his family gatherings at his home and I swear I've never seen so many people in one place." She shook her head at the memory.

Joe took a sip of his drink. "We're twice as many in my family."

Sasha's eyes widened. "Wow. The reunions must be epic."

"And messy as all hell," said Joe, smiling when she laughed.

"I can imagine. So wrestling…" Sasha went on, "Is it something you've always wanted to do? Mom and dad didn't bite your head off and order you to be a doctor instead?"

He licked his lips. "Nope. Wrestling's practically in my blood. My dad and uncle wrestled as a tag team for years. A lot of uncles and older cousins were wrestlers. My big brother worked for the WWE for a while and now a bunch of my cousins are there with me. It's a family thing, really. It's either football or wrestling with us."

"I've heard about the crazy traveling WWE does. Shouldn't you be off wrestling in some other city right now?"

"Not this week. A number of us got to come home for a very rare week off. Unfortunately I've only got like five days left, which sucks." He stopped, realizing he was doing a whole lot of talking about himself. "So what about you, Sasha? What's life like outside of Reggie's Bar &amp; Grill?"

Sasha shrugged. "Nothing compared to yours, obviously. I live a very unadventurous life. I go to the Grill, come home, spend the rest of my time with Mia and T.K…" She stopped abruptly, eyes wide.

"T.K. That's your brother, right?" asked Joe, "Seems like a cool kid. How's he doing?"

Sasha wanted to kick herself. She had hoped this topic would come much later. "I don't have any brothers." When his eyebrow lifted in confusion, she bit her lip. _Here goes nothing._ "T.K. is my son."

She sat back and watched his reaction go from curious to taken aback. "Wow," Joe finally managed. "He's what? Sixteen? Seventeen?"

"Seventeen. And I have an eight-year-old daughter as well." She paused, holding his gaze. Her children had always been the turn-off point for most men that wanted to date her, and those that didn't mind were eventually pressured out of a relationship with her by outside parties. Sasha was now at a point where she just fended them all off herself. If they didn't care for her kids, then they could fuck off. Her son and daughter would always come first. Always.

Joe stared at her, then shook his head quickly. "I'm sorry…I just thought…You don't really look old enough to have a teenage son."

"Why, thank you," Sasha giggled, glad she could still laugh about it. Things could be very different by the end of the night. "I'm thirty-five but I like to think I'm not so old. I had Tyson two months before my eighteenth birthday. Obviously I was older and wiser when I had Mia, my little girl. She's a wrestling fan too, just like her brother. Not as fanatic as he is, but she knows the basics. She'd probably know you if she saw you. She loves her dancing though, she's my little dancer. While it's all about basketball and wrestling for T.K. When he's not trying to be the next Rock, he's trying to be the next LeBron," she added with a laugh.

Joe could hear the pride in her voice as she spoke about her children. That Sasha was a mother intrigued the heck out of him. Raising children was no small feat and it only made her more attractive to him. "They sound like great kids."

"They are." She braced herself for the answer to this next question. "So I'm curious, Joe…how old are you?"

"Twenty-seven."

_Twenty-seven. Not quite twenty-five, but still... _"You're a kid."

"I think kid is the last thing anyone would use to describe me," Joe smirked.

"Well, you are."

"Does it bother you?" He placed his forearms on the table, bringing his large shoulders in close and their bodies in even closer proximity. "The age gap between us. Does it make you uncomfortable?"

Admitting it to Pam was a whole different ballgame from telling him. She cleared her throat. "I'm not sure yet."

"Well, if you asked me, I don't think it should," he told her. "I personally don't think it's that big a gap, but it shouldn't matter either way. We're just two adults having dinner, that's all."

She made eye contact with him. His confidence was so effortless, so seductive. She was proud of herself for keeping her composure for this long. "So, have you got any kids of your own?" she inquired.

Something flashed in his eyes but it disappeared as quickly as it came. "No. Not yet. But I got tons of nephews and nieces for practice."

"Oh trust me, you're gonna need it." She felt her face, as well as other parts of her body, flush when his tongue darted over his lips. Again. She'd been watching him all evening and she couldn't keep silent anymore. "Please stop doing that."

"Doing what?" There was a twinkle in his eye.

"The…tongue thing. It's distracting." _And incredibly hot._ She knew he did it subconsciously, but damn if it wasn't screwing up her concentration. She rolled her eyes and laughed when Joe gave her an amused look. "I'm serious!"

Joe had noticed the way she'd been staring at him simply because he'd been staring right back. "Sorry, it's a bad habit of mine," he chuckled. "But I'll stop…on one condition."

"What?"

His smile widened. She really had no idea, did she? "If you stop doing that thing with your lip." Watching her continuously nibble on her bottom lip was starting to seriously test the gentleman inside of him.

She abruptly released her lip and grinned shyly. _Oops._ "Deal."

* * *

Arriving at her apartment building, Joe killed the Range's engine and climbed out, making his way around Sasha's side. He helped her out and walked her to the front door. Sasha liked the contrast of her hand encased in his much larger one. It was protective, comforting. She saw him looking around and wondered what he thought about her living quarters. Unlike him, she didn't reside in the most opulent areas in Tampa. But if he had any comments, he kept them to himself.

"I had a really good time tonight. Thank you." She meant it too. Dinner was great. He'd been sweet and funny and attentive, and was the consummate gentleman all evening. There weren't many men she'd come across like that. Either her stories ran them off or they demanded pussy straight afterwards. She wondered which category he would fall under.

"The pleasure is all mine," Joe answered, smiling broadly. He'd spent an amazing evening with an amazing woman, and as corny as it sounded, he didn't want this night to end. Silence fell between them, and he lowered his head for a moment before letting his eyes drift back up to hers. "Are you doing anything tomorrow night?"

He wanted to see her again? Her kids hadn't scared him off? And no pussy request? A mixture of surprise, elation and dread invaded her. "Sadly, I got a busy day. T.K. has a basketball game in the afternoon and I got night shift at the Grill." In all honesty, she was torn about seeing him again. She had since established that she was very attracted to him, and the last thing she wanted was to get involved only for him to disappear. With the kind of job he had, it was bound to happen. It was inevitable that she would be just a fling to him. So why not just walk away now?

He was standing close enough for her to see the gorgeous grey of his irises. He was still holding her hand, and she was all too aware of the way his thumb kept skating across the back, causing tingles all over her. The look he gave her littered her skin with goose bumps. He licked his lips, and a tiny gasp escaped her when he moved in closer, his face inching towards hers.

Was he going to kiss her?

Though she always knew it was a possibility, she still wasn't prepared for it. Panic engulfed her and reflexively, she took a step away from him. "I'm sorry," she ground out, wincing at the look of hurt in his eyes. "It's not you, I promise. It's just…it's been a while for me." She bowed her head in embarrassment. _You are such a dumbass._

Swallowing back the rejection he was feeling, Joe squeezed her hand and kissed the back of it with a smile. "I understand. Don't worry about it; I won't ask you to do anything you don't want to do. But I do want to see you again, Sasha. I'd like to spend more time with you and get to know you better. If that's okay with you, of course."

Taking in his words, she forced herself to relax and stop overanalyzing. This was meant to be about fun after all, and there was nothing wrong with at least starting out as friends. Ultimately, Joe was a nice guy, and she liked how tonight's date went. Meeting his eyes, she nodded. "Sure. I'd like that." She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him in a hug, letting the embrace linger for a little while. Wow, how good did he smell? "Thanks again, Joe."

He hugged her back, breathing in the scent of her hair and wishing he didn't have to leave. "I'll call you." He kissed her cheek, marveling at how soft her skin was. He couldn't help but wonder if her lips felt the same. Reluctantly, he let go of her and stepped back. "Goodnight, Sasha."

"Goodnight." She watched him head back to his car. Even the way he walked was sexy. God, she was in so much trouble.

* * *

_**A/N: I know Joe's 28. I slashed the age for my own use. Hope you like it so far. Do you think the date went well? Kindly review!**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Nice to know a lot of you enjoyed the last chapter :) Shout out to **__ChelleLew, Tammy, DeeMarie426, nikki1335, IRENELOVE83, Ctinaisfashion, i-r-i-s, wwefanatic365__** and **__justkimmy __**for the feedback. Keep 'em comin'!**_

* * *

"For God's sake, Pamela, quit looking at me like that."

Turning away from the petite woman sitting at the kitchen table, Sasha rolled her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time. Since narrating the events of last night to Pam, she'd been staring her down with that annoying stank face of hers. It was alright when she directed that face at others, but not her. It made her want to slap her face back into place. Pam did it all the time, and Sasha remembered in high school when she'd done it once, during an argument between them that got violent. This time, she kept her cool and focused on preparing Mia and T.K.'s school lunches while Pam burned a hole through her.

"So let me get this straight." Pam began to count off her fingers. "Dinner was great. Joe was great, all by your own admission. He brings you home without incident, then he wants to kiss you goodnight and you shoot him down? How the fuck else do you want me to look at you? Because you've obviously lost your mind."

"Mia is in the next room, watch your damn mouth." Speaking of, what was taking her so long? "Mia, baby? Hurry up! Aunt Pam is waiting!" Pam was here to pick Mia up and take her to school since the gym she worked at was close to Mia's elementary school. Pam did Mia's school run virtually every day, and it was another favor from her that Sasha would always be grateful for.

"What exactly was wrong with a goodnight kiss, Sash?" the petite woman demanded, "I thought you were attracted to him." She watched her nod her head. "And obviously he finds you attractive, he wouldn't have asked to see you again if he didn't. So what's the problem?"

"I don't know," Sasha defended herself, "What do you want me to tell you? That I got scared and chickened out? Fine. I got scared. I chickened out. Happy?"

"Hell no I ain't happy. I came here for details about the hot steamy rabbit sex you had with that hunk last night, how you finally unleashed years of sexual frustration on his ass. Or at least tell me whether he's a good kisser or not. Something. Anything. But instead I come up empty-handed. Either that or you're hiding what really happened from me. Not cool, Sasha. Not cool at all."

"I'm not hiding anything," Sasha grumbled.

"I know you, girl. I know your dumb ass spent every minute questioning his every move last night," said Pam. "And so what if he has intentions? So do you. You have needs, babe. Immediate needs. Are you tryna tell me you're not sexually frustrated? How long has it been since you last fucked? Months? Years?"

Honestly, Sasha had stopped keeping track. She hadn't been in a serious relationship since Mia's birth. She no longer trusted men enough, so dates fizzled out before anything more could come out of it. She'd pretty much numbed herself off sex and everything that came with it. Which was why her instant attraction to Joe frightened her. If 'questioning his every move' meant spending the entire evening watching his hands and his tongue and wishing she could feel them on her body, then Pam was right. She wanted him, in more ways than one, and she just wasn't used to feeling that way. "It's not that simple," she attempted.

"Yes it is. Wanting Joe is perfectly normal. It doesn't suddenly make you a slut. Mia and T.K. won't love you any less. They don't even have to be brought into the picture yet."

_Now she tells me._ Sasha carefully placed the sandwiches in two separate brown paper bags and rolled them up. "I kinda already told him about them."

"You did? And he didn't freak out or nothin'?" A look of surprise crossed the shorter woman's features. "And you wanna run away from _that_?_ Now_ I know you crazy."

Sasha sighed. "Maybe I am crazy. Because I don't know what the heck I'm doing." She bit her lip, wishing she didn't feel as helpless and frustrated as she was feeling.

She felt Pam's arm around her shoulders. "I know why you're scared, baby. I saw it all happen, remember? But I think this one is different. Joe's already told you he's not going to rush you into anything. That right there already shows he's a gentleman. Lord knows we don't see much of those around anymore." Pam kissed her shoulder. "Quit panicking, Sasha. You barely know each other but he's already given you control. How far you want to go with him is up to you, so go with the flow. But if you wait any longer to get laid girl, I might have to buy you a vibrator."

She winked, and Sasha rolled her eyes. For someone who had much advice on men, Pam never seemed to tie one down for herself, going all the way back to their younger days. Sasha envied her sometimes. Perhaps if she was the same way, things would be much different, she thought.

Mia skipped into the kitchen, her backpack in hand and a bright smile on her face. "Good morning Aunt Pam!"

"Morning, Mimi. You ready?" Withdrawing her iPad from her handbag, Pam handed it to Sasha. "Go on YouTube. Type in 'The Shield WWE'. Thank me later." She put an arm around Mia's shoulders. "Come on, baby. Let's leave your crazy heffa mama all to herself."

Mia glanced at Sasha with big curious eyes. "Mama, what's a heffa?"

"Nothing, baby. Ignore Aunt Pam," she said quickly, kissing her daughter's cheek before giving Pam her best 'I'ma kill you later' glare. Giggling, Pam blew her a kiss and led Mia out the front door. T.K. appeared in the kitchen minutes later, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Morning, ma."

"You need a new pair of shoes," she said, glaring at the worn sneakers in his grasp.

T.K. glanced at his shoes. They were the only pair he had, and thanks to the constant use, they were practically falling apart. "Naw, don't worry about it, ma. Told the guys on the team they're my lucky shoes. If I don't got them on, I'll never be on my A-game," he shrugged, taking his lunch bag from her and leaning down to kiss her cheek. "Don't forget, the game's at four."

"I'll be there with Mia. Good luck, baby." She waited for him to leave before reaching for the stack of bills she'd hidden away, eyeing them sullenly. They'd been gnawing at her for days now, and she knew what she needed to do. She didn't like it, but right now she had very few options.

* * *

She sat in the dingy-looking reception area, fiddling her thumbs nervously. There was no one there, and the receptionist was nowhere to be found, but she could hear chatter behind the door at the other side of the room. The truck drivers should be having their lunch break right now, so she was sure she came at the right time. She would wait.

The door opened, and a bleached blonde woman strolled over to the receptionist's desk. "Can I help you, ma'am?" She popped her gum loudly.

"Hi, I'm looking for Tyson Bridges."

The woman eyed her up and down. "Got a name?"

"Just tell him it's urgent. Please?"

The woman hesitated, then walked back through the door she'd come out from. A couple of seconds later, a man emerged, bringing Sasha face to face with the boy she once loved. Once.

It was easy to fall for a guy like Tyson Bridges. Light-skinned with big brown eyes and wavy dark hair, he was one of the popular boys back in high school. Every girl wanted to be with him. So when he asked her out back in their junior year, Sasha was surprised. Sure, she and Pam were also popular to some degree, but definitely not on Tyson's level. Making a move on her was unexpected, but Sasha didn't think twice. She remembered it like it was yesterday; the night her life changed forever, in that grimy motel room on Homecoming night in their senior year. To this day, she could still hear his voice in her ear, all deep and silky and thick with desire…

"_Come on sugar, we don't need to use that no more…I want you to feel me, all of me…"_

So they didn't use 'that'. And the product of that decision was currently the star player of his high school basketball team.

The moment he discovered Sasha was pregnant, Tyson wanted nothing to do with her. He left her high and dry, hooked up with some other chick and graduated high school while she was forced to drop out. Sasha was left to pick up the pieces of her life – as well as her broken heart – while he moved on with his own life, eventually finding work as a warehouse truck driver and married with a daughter. Not once in seventeen years did he go out of his way to inquire about his son. Sasha had done a good job keeping away from Tyson Sr., but circumstances were forcing her back in his direction.

Though it was expected, her heart lurched at his cold expression. "What'chu doin' here?" he frowned, looking every bit like the son he denied.

She got to her feet. "Can we go outside?" she asked, uncomfortable. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the receptionist watching closely. The last thing she wanted was to become gossip fodder around here.

But Tyson was having none of it. "Girl, this job pays me twenty dollars an hour. I ain't got no time for chit-chat," he snapped, thrusting his hands into the pockets of his uniform. "What do you want?"

He wasn't budging. Fine. "I called you last week," she started. "You didn't return any of my calls…Tyson, things haven't been so great for me, and I need your help with T.K.-"

"I ain't got no money."

Sasha ignored the rude interruption. "Ty, I've been raising your son by myself and in seventeen years I've never asked you for anything. I just need a little help. He needs new clothes, for one…" The more she talked, the more embarrassed she grew. She shouldn't have come here. She winced at the thought of T.K. finding out about this. His hatred for his father equaled his love for wrestling, and she was certain he would blow a gasket.

"I ain't got no money," Tyson repeated, regarding her like she was something stuck underneath his shoe. "Now you better get gone, and don't ever come to my job no more. Got it?" Without waiting for a response, he turned his back on her, disappearing back to where he came from. For several seconds she stood there, unsurprised yet mortified by his blatant callousness, and she fled from the building, fighting back tears.

Coming here was a mistake she would never make again.

* * *

The Mason Hill High gymnasium exploded as the ball dropped into the net right before the final buzzer, signaling The Knights' progression to the next round. Screaming just as loudly as everyone else, Sasha watched proudly as the rest of his teammates hoisted the match-winner T.K. up on their shoulders. She knew a number of college scouts had shown up for this game. She was confident they were taking notice of her boy's consistent performances, and hoped and prayed that something positive would emerge soon.

"You were awesome, Ty-Ty!" Mia praised her big brother as the three exited the school and made their way home. Laughing, the teenager picked her up and swung her around. "Thank you, Baby Pie!" he said, ruffling her hair. Setting her back down and holding her hand tightly, T.K. turned to his mother. "So I was thinking, Ma. Mr. Fischer said he can help me get a job." He was aware of the financial situation in his family. His mom worked double shifts at least five times a week at _Reggie's Bar &amp; Grill_ but the income still wasn't rolling in like that. He was the man of the house; he wanted to step up and help provide for his family. Plus college was less than a year away. He had to start gathering income from somewhere.

But Sasha was already shaking her head in disagreement. "Nope, mm-mm."

"But Mama, you gotta let me help."

"No baby, you're staying in school," Sasha said adamantly.

"But I can work _and_ go to school."

"Baby, trust me when I say that's not a good idea, especially not when you're in your senior year." She knew directly from experience the importance of finishing high school. Every day she wished she could turn back time and do it over. "You just concentrate on your studies and getting that athletic scholarship. Let me take care of it, okay?"

"Are you sure?" T.K. didn't look convinced, but Sasha nodded resolutely. She wasn't going to let her son take the same path her life took. "Absolutely. We'll be fine, I promise." She reached up to run her fingers through his hair, holding his gaze until he nodded and effectively dropped the subject.

"Yo, what's up T.K.?"

Sasha saw the brand new car before she saw the young boy sitting on top of it. Lamar Jones, an old friend of T.K.'s. They used to go to school together until Lamar dropped out after his mother, whom Sasha had known, died of cancer. A frown crossed Sasha's features when T.K. bounded over to him and exchanged a man-shake. "Hey man. How ya been?"

"I'm chillin'," said Lamar. "Great game today man, that buzzer beater was sweet!"

"Thanks. Man, sweet ride you got there," T.K. lauded.

"I appreciate it. Just bought it recently. She's my baby," said Lamar, patting the hood of the Mercedes affectionately. He finally noticed Sasha standing there. "Hey, Miss M."

"Hey." Sasha crossed her arms, not liking the look of longing on her son's face.

"We're going out tonight to celebrate. You wanna come?" Lamar asked T.K. He was about to respond but stopped short, casting a quick glance at Sasha. "Naw, I gotta take my mom and my sister home," he answered, a hint of disappointment in his tone.

"A'ight, cool. I can give y'all a ride if you want," Lamar offered.

"We got it," Sasha spoke up this time, eyeing the teenage dropout unfavorably. "Hey, Lamar. Whose car is this?"

"Mine," he answered, like it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"And where do you work? How can you afford this car?" They all knew the answer to that question. There was only one thing he could be doing that could afford him such luxury. Pam had a decent job and still couldn't buy a car like that. Shaking her head, Sasha walked up to the boy, who kept his gaze averted from hers. "You know your mama would turn over in her grave if she knew, right?"

"Okay, Mom." T.K. quickly stepped in before things could become even more antagonistic. He man-hugged Lamar, muttered a quick goodbye and led his mother away. "Whatchu go and do that for, Ma?"

She huffed. "I don't want you hangin' with him no more," she said curtly, tightening her hold around Mia's hand. "I don't even want you talkin' to him."

"Come on Ma! Me and Lamar have been hangin' since the fourth grade-"

"I don't care. That ain't the boy I knew in the fourth grade. He's changed, and I don't want you around all of that."

"But Mama-"

She spun around, getting in T.K.'s face, and for a split second she was seeing his father. "I ain't stupid, Tyson! I know he's in the dope game. I do not want you hangin' with him. Do I make myself clear?" She shot him a stern look, daring him to protest again.

T.K. knew better than to do such a thing. "Yes ma'am."

"Good." T.K. was too smart and had too promising of a future to let his life be derailed like Lamar's had. Sasha was determined to let nothing stop her son from attaining the success he deserved.

Back home, with time to spare before heading to the Grill for her shift, Sasha remembered Pam's iPad. Putting on headphones so as not to wake Mia, she tapped on the YouTube app. 'The Shield WWE' turned out to be a collection of videos of Joe and his two partners. They were good. Really good. Evidently his wrestling character Roman Reigns was very different from the gentle, soft-spoken man she'd spent time with the night before. Sasha watched him in action, mesmerized. More importantly, she was turned on.

Pam hadn't been kidding about him – the hair, the S.W.A.T-esque gear that fit him ever so perfectly; his intensity in the ring, the way his skin glistened with every flex of his muscles and every move he made. And then the interviews, when he spoke in that gorgeous baritone voice, or when he glared at the camera with that smirk and snarl…Sasha couldn't tear her eyes away. He was so hot her loins ached. How was she supposed to take it slow with him after seeing all of this? It brightened her relatively moody day, that was for sure.

She spent close to two hours watching as much footage as she could. By the time it was time to head out to the Grill, she was in dire need of a shower…and a change of underwear.

* * *

_**No Joe in this, but I promise he's in the next one. (Anyone hear him go 'Ohhh SHIT son!' on Raw? Epic!) Hope you liked the insight into Sasha's life. Please review! And kindly check out my other story called 'Hounds Undone'. Feedback much appreciated.**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: You guys are making me smile with the nice reviews. Thank you to **__ChelleLew, nikki1335, wwefanatic365, justkimmy, i-r-i-s, DeeMarie426, Tammy, IRENELOVE83, .RR__** and **__thakidisbac__**.**_

* * *

The sound of the ringing cellphone jolted Sasha awake. Groaning tiredly, she fumbled blindly for the phone on the nightstand, answering without checking the ID. "Hello?" she answered. Right now, she couldn't open her eyes if she tried_._

Joe laughed at her sluggish voice. "Wake up, sleepyhead."

"Holy crap, is it ten already?" she groaned, throwing her hand over her face. He'd texted her the night before asking to take her out to breakfast. She agreed for ten, but she was so sure it was four a.m. right now. She felt like she had just gone to bed after her long shift which had ended at two in the morning.

"Nope. But it's nine, so get up." He had gotten up to jog at six, was at the gym by seven-thirty, showered and done some chores, and was now heading out to pick her up. His routine was usually earlier but he eased up this week thanks to his break. For years he had trained himself to start his day early, and found it strange when people weren't up by eight o'clock at least. "I'm already on my way, so you might as well get up and get dressed so we can hang out."

"Yes, sir," she griped, rolling unceremoniously out of her bed.

"That's the spirit. See you soon."

Sasha hung up, stretching and yawning her way to the bathroom. As cranky as she might have sounded over the phone, she wanted to spend time with him, so it was enough incentive to get ready. She dressed quietly, putting on a white shirt and red pair of jeans, capping it off with boots and a black leather jacket. She made breakfast for T.K. and Mia while she waited for Joe.

"You look nice," T.K. strolled into the kitchen, taking over hot chocolate-making duties from her. "Going out?"

"Yeah."

"With Roman?" T.K. reached into the fridge for the bread and peanut butter. She nodded, trying to gauge his reaction. She'd told him about Joe, not elaborating too much since she was still testing the waters. She was curious as to what he was thinking right now.

"I was thinking about taking Mia to the park," T.K. stated, "We'll probably go to Uncle Reggie's afterwards so she can hang out with the twins."

"That's a good idea." She bit her lip, staring at her son. When he was unhappy about something he got really quiet and kept to himself, like he was doing now. "Look, Ty, if you don't want me to see Joe…"

But T.K. shook his head. It wasn't that he minded her going out but being her son, he was always going to be protective. Sure, he had his reservations about Joe being younger than her and he was a wrestler and he'd heard all sorts of stories about how they used women like they were trash. But she seemed to really like this one, so he had to give the guy a chance. For now. "Of course not, Ma. Go ahead, go have fun. And don't worry about Mia either; I'll take care of her."

Sasha returned is smile and gently stroked his head, a gesture that soothed him from the time he was a baby. "I know you will. Thank you, sweetie."

* * *

Breakfast with Joe was fun. Sasha liked his dry humor and his interesting stories. She also noted how comfortable he appeared around other people. She guessed it came with what he did for a living. A number of times people came up to him for autographs and pictures and he did it all without a fuss, even though they were cutting into his private time. For a famous person, he seemed very down-to-earth and Sasha admired that.

In the afternoon they hung out at a bar and shot some pool. Joe shook his head morosely as the striped ball belonging to Sasha landed neatly into the left corner pocket of the pool table. "You told me you were crap at this," he grumbled.

Bursting out laughing, Sasha walked around the table. "I said no such thing. I said rusty. Rusty and crap are two different things."

Joe glanced dejectedly at the green surface, his five solid balls having to contend with her solo striped one. She had all but won the game. "Rusty, huh? If this is rusty, I'd hate to see you at your best." He rested his back against the bar, swallowing as she bent over for another turn. The view he had of her was epic; the way her back arched, showing off some of her caramel skin as her shirt rode up a little; her shapely butt sticking out. He loved the red jeans and black jacket on her, they worked exceptionally well together. He didn't think she realized how nice her body was, especially for a mother with two kids – thick in all the right places, especially her ass…He gripped his pool stick to keep himself from doing anything stupid. He already knew she had a feisty side to her, he doubted she would hesitate in tearing him a new one if he tried anything inappropriate.

"Been a while since I played, but I haven't forgot Or maybe you're just that bad and don't want to admit it," Sasha, oblivious to his silent scrutiny, teased him, giggling when he pouted. He looked so cute. She sat on the barstool next to him and accepted the drink he offered her, bobbing her head along to the song playing in the bar as Joe looked on, amused. "What song is this?" he asked, waving his finger.

"Def Leppard, 'Photograph'," she replied, singing aloud and swaying and thoroughly entertaining Joe. "You're a rocker, huh?" He placed his cue against the bar beside him.

Sasha beamed, excitement in her eyes. "Oh, I _love_ it, probably more than any other genre. The classics, the indie stuff. After school, I'd go over to a friend of mine's place and just listen to all his stuff for hours before I went home. He had everything – Def Leppard, U2, Metallica, Guns 'N' Roses, Oasis…awesome times. I like the more recent stuff too – Fall Out Boy, Civil Twilight, Thirty Seconds to Mars."

He didn't expect that from her at all. _Colby will love her._ "I like rock music too, but not that much. They're great to work out to though. I'm more of an R&amp;B, Hip-Hop kinda guy."

"Oh, I'm big on R&amp;B too. Usher is my man. I had a huge crush on him. Still do, I think," Sasha added with a giggle. "I used to like Hip-Hop and Rap, but it's become so shit these days, with all the auto-tuning and shit. Gets on my nerves. I pretty much listen to everything but Rock is my baby. Real, pure rock music is a dying art, and that makes me sad." She turned towards him, crossing her legs as she did so, not missing the way his eyes trailed her movements. "So, I watched you on YouTube. I mean, you and your group, The Shield," she corrected quickly, for fear of sounding like some sort of voyeur. "My friend showed me the videos."

Joe raised an eyebrow, his lips curled into a smirk. "Oh yeah? So what did you think?"

She doubted there was a kid-friendly version of her true thoughts. "Not bad. Y'all ain't the friendliest bunch," she pointed out, earning a grin from him, "but I was impressed. I do think you need to work on your intensity a little bit more though." She gave him her most serious look. "Like your roar. Make it a little louder, ya know, a little more ferocious. Just some advice from an expert here."

"Okay, I can do that," Joe played along, nodding solemnly. "Any more tips?"

"And your Superman punch…don't get me wrong, it looks great. But it still needs a little tweaking, a little pizzazz, ya know?" Sasha added, "I mean, what's a Superman punch without a cheerleader jump? Do the punch, right, and then follow it up with a jump in the air, like a proper mid-air split. Trust me, it's gonna look so much more badass." She tried to keep her expression as neutral as possible as she met his eyes. She could see Joe struggling to do the same, but it became too much and they both burst out laughing. "Boy, you better not listen to me or your ass will be fired," Sasha warned.

Still laughing, Joe cocked his head to the side in thought. "Maybe I _should_ do the split during a match, just to confuse the hell outta people."

"Well if you get cussed out don't blame me. I will deny any involvement," the mother-of-two warned. "That spear is something else, though. That's a tackle right out of the NFL." She didn't need to ask if he played football. His physique gave him away.

"Funny you should say that. I actually tried out for a few NFL teams, but didn't make it. I did play ball in college and in Canada for a while. What about you? You play any sports?"

"Yeah. I played some basketball and I was on the dance team in high school, but that's about it." She paused to withdraw her vibrating phone from her pocket.

"Everything okay?" Joe took a sip of his beer as he watched her roll her eyes at the text message she was reading.

"Yeah. It's just T.K. checking on me," Sasha smiled fondly.

"What does T.K. stand for? Just curious."

"Tyson Kendrick. He hated the Kendrick name for a long time but started owning up to it when Kendrick Lamar made it cool." Chuckling, she held up her screensaver to Joe. "That's Mia by the way, my little girl. And that's T.K., whom you've already met."

Joe smiled softly at the beaming little girl with the curly afro. "She's beautiful. Just like her mother," he commented, glancing down at the blushing woman.

"You say that to every woman you take out?" she asked, her mouth going dry as she watched his fingers weave through hers. He was looking at her that way again. All intense and serious and sexy and all sorts of tempting.

The Samoan held her gaze, enjoying her reaction to him. "No. Just you."

He was standing incredibly close to her, his imposing stature towering over her seated frame. Usually she would be uncomfortable with the invasion of her space but as far as she was concerned he wasn't close enough. His cologne drifted over to her every time she shifted on the barstool and her knee bumped his thigh. She eyed him closely, butterflies fluttering wildly in her stomach as she anticipated his next move, and found herself somewhat disappointed when he placed a kiss to her knuckles and backed away. She instantly missed his warmth.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." This was another exercise in self-control for Joe. All he wanted to do was lean down and taste those plump, juicy lips of hers, and see if they were as delicious as they looked. But he was determined to keep it slow, just like she'd asked. He didn't want to scare her away, ever.

* * *

Later in the evening, Joe took Sasha home. In the car he made sure to leave the radio on the classic rock station and enjoyed how she sang along to practically every song that came on, joining in on the ones he knew. He liked how she seemed to have loosened up around him, and he hoped he would get the chance to see that more often.

"You don't have to keep walking me to the door, you know," Sasha stated when Joe made to open her side of the car.

"Now what kind of gentleman will that make me?" he grinned, helping her out.

"We should play pool again sometime," the mother-of-two wiggled her eyebrows. "I'd love to school your ass one more time," she bragged, wondering if he caught on to her hint. Hoping he did.

If that was an invitation for another date, there was no way was he turning it down. "Hell no. I let you win," Joe scoffed. "Next time I won't be so nice."

A grin spread over her face. "We'll see about that." _Can he kiss me now? I promise I won't chicken out this time._

"Oh, we will." Joe took her hands in both of his, looking into her eyes as he drew her closer to him. _God I wanna kiss her so bad._

"Hey, Ma!"

Startled, Sasha looked over to see T.K. exiting the apartment complex, effectively ruining whatever moment was about to transpire. "Ty. What are you doing out here? Where's your sister? Is she okay?" she asked, worry replacing the frustration she was feeling.

"She's fine, Ma. She's asleep." He approached slowly, his expression unreadable as he sized up Joe. "Hey." His greeting was half-hearted.

"Hey, what's up, man?" Joe greeted back, instantly sensing the tension emanating from the teenager.

Sasha took one look at her son and immediately knew what this was about. He was here to scare off Joe. This wouldn't be the first time it was happening, and more often than not, it worked. She would be lying if she said she wasn't curious to see if Joe would be any different. Only time would tell.

Joe, to his credit, was the epitome of cool. He didn't seem fazed by T.K.'s presence at all. "You should go inside," he said softly to Sasha. "I'll text you when I get home, alright?" Draping his arm around her, he pressed his lips to her forehead. "Goodnight."

Sasha returned his hug, suddenly feeling like she was in the middle of a Western stand-off. Her anxiety grew when T.K. didn't make a move to follow her. "Ty, are you coming?"

The teen crossed his arms, his jaw clinched. "Go ahead Ma. I'll catch up."

Over her son's shoulder, Sasha searched Joe's eyes, and the big man nodded, telling her it was okay. Hesitant, she glanced back and forth between the two men before heading inside.

T.K. watched his mother go, then turned back to face Joe. His arms were still crossed, his mouth set in a thin, firm line. "Look man, I think you're cool and all, but I'ma cut to the chase." Right now it didn't matter that he was a huge fan of The Shield, or that Joe was a famous wrestler and could easily kick his ass. This was about doing his duty to protect his mother. "I've heard stuff about what wrestlers do with women and all that. Use them then toss them like they're yesterday's trash. That ain't gonna happen with my mom. She isn't some plaything you play with and throw away when you get bored, alright? So if you plan on doing that, I strongly suggest you hop in your ride, drive away and never come back here."

Thrusting his hands in his pockets, the Samoan man tilted his chin, a hint of defiance about him. Sure, the kid was standing his ground, but so could he. "I understand you're looking out for your mom, and of course you should. But I would never do anything to hurt her. I'm not like that," he said sincerely.

If T.K. believed him, he didn't show it. "We'll see about that," he answered coolly. Without another word, he turned his back on the larger man and went back inside the building to join his mother.

* * *

_**A/N: Ooh, Tyson layin' down the law. Do you agree with his actions? What about Joe and Sasha's latest outing? Kindly review!**_

_**I was asked about Mia's dad. We'll get to that soon.**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: So the Hall of Fame ceremony was good, Mania was great (save for Taker's streak broken) Raw was great (save for Warrior's passing the day after) and so was SmackDown (just the ending). The Shield absolutely killed it this week (the masks, my GOSH), and if you haven't seen Roman's promo on Main Event, go find it!**_

_**Loving the feedback as usual. Thank you to those reading and reviewing and favoriting. Shout out to **__justkimmy, wwefanatic365, Ctinaisfashion, DeeMarie426, nikki1335, ChelleLew, Tammy, Alexis Black-Reigns__** and **__i-r-i-s__**!**_

* * *

From across the Grill's backroom, Amber watched with amusement as Sasha grinned at her phone, as she had done all through her lunch break. "So how's the sexy new boyfriend, Miss Cougar?" she inquired.

Without looking up, Sasha stabbed her finger in the brunette's direction. "I am not a Cougar."

"What do you call having a younger boyfriend?"

"Joe is not my boyfriend either. We've only gone on a couple of dates, that's it. It's nothing serious yet."

"I wish I had a boy toy of my own," Amber pouted. "Guys my age are getting stale. Can you teach me how to be a Cougar, Sash?"

"I'm not a Cougar," Sasha insisted, fighting the urge to smack the younger woman upside the head when she walked past. And how on earth does one teach someone how to be a Cougar?

"But you are. You fit the exact mold; a hot momma getting it on with a sexy boy toy. Embrace it. What's the big deal anyway? I mean, Joe's not a minor. You're both adults. Does the age difference really matter? So what if he was what, sixteen when you were his age?"

"Nineteen, actually. And thanks, that makes me feel so much better." She hated thinking about how far apart their ages were. Joe had already said it didn't bother him, but it wasn't that easy for her. Though she'd since established she was comfortable around him, she couldn't help but be worried about other people's perceptions. There was already enough stereotypes from society as it was, and it was the main reason she was reluctant to take things further with Joe. Though she wanted to. Very much.

"Okay, I'm sorry, I'll drop it now," said Amber. "I'm being cranky because Ian and I broke up."

Sasha's demeanor softened. "I'm sorry. What happened?"

Amber shrugged, thrusting her hands in her apron pockets. "Nothing important. It was for the best." Her reply was flippant. "Boys my age are stupid. Like I said, I think I need an older guy or a younger one."

"Well, you're what, twenty-four? Try dating a boy eight years younger than you and see how that goes. I dare you, even."

A sly grin spread across Amber's pretty face. "So you _are_ dating Joe?"

"I told you it hasn't gone that far."

"Yet. It will soon. I can tell he likes you a lot. Wish I was the one hittin' that, but if it can't be me I guess you're an alright alternative," she sighed dramatically, and Sasha rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Thanks," she said, looking down at her phone when it vibrated.

_Comin to get u after work. C u soon. x_

The X at the end of the text message spread a smile over her face. It still baffled her that a guy like Joe Anoa'i was interested in plain old her. That he was still communicating with her, even after what she was sure had been a warning shot from T.K. He was either crazy, or stubborn, or both, and deep down it flattered her. Suddenly the end of her shift couldn't come fast enough.

Luckily the time elapsed quickly enough. As she went to the back to hang up her apron, she caught a glimpse of Joe walking through the door, saying hi to some people he knew. Amber waved her fingers at him when he approached the bar. "Hi, Joe."

"Hey, what's up, Amber. Where's Sasha?"

"Here!"

They both turned at the sound of Sasha's voice as she walked back out with her handbag slung over her shoulder, and Amber shook her head. "So he was coming over. No wonder you were smiling so much," the brunette teased.

"Shut up." She exchanged goodbye kisses with her workmate and grinned when Joe presented her with a small bouquet of white roses. "Aw, are those for me? They're beautiful. Thank you," she gushed, kissing him on the cheek.

They drove to her place first as she needed to get changed. As they pulled up in front of the building, Sasha bit her lip, about to do something she'd never done before. "Do you wanna come up?" she asked.

A look of surprise crossed his handsome face. "Are you sure?" he asked carefully.

"Yeah. I can't leave you out here, can I?" She understood his reaction to her offer. She never invited any guy into her home, but she was comfortable enough to make an exception with Joe. Plus this area wasn't the safest of places, in the day or nighttime.

Joe seemed to hesitate, as though waiting for her to change her mind. When he realized she wasn't going to, he nodded and followed her lead. As they ascended the stairs Sasha could sense him looking around. This place was just a slight upgrade above the Projects, entirely different from what he must be used to. On the third flight of stairs, they walked to the end of the hallway, and Sasha unlocked the door and pushed it open. "Make yourself comfortable," she told Joe, placing the roses in a makeshift vase. "There's not much, but help yourself to whatever you can find in the fridge. I'll be out ASAP."

Watching her disappear into what had to be her bedroom, he walked around the small apartment for a couple of minutes. Heading to the kitchen, he opened up the fridge and saw it was virtually empty. Somewhat chastened by the discovery, he shut it back and searched for a clean glass to get some water. He wandered back into the living room area, taking in the photographs mounted on the walls, all of T.K., Mia and Sasha at varying ages, all with smiling and happy faces. It strongly reminded him of his family back in Pensacola.

"Ready." He turned at the sound of Sasha's voice, smiling as he took in her outfit. He was certain she was tired of hearing how nice she looked, but he told her again anyway, feeling that familiar thrill when she shyly looked away like always. He enjoyed giving her compliments just for her reactions.

The sky outside was greying, as though it was going to rain, but it seemed harmless. Joe and Sasha took a stroll in the Square, their movements leisurely as they sipped on Starbucks Frappucinos. "I never got to apologize about whatever Tyson said to you," Sasha said when they settled down on a park bench. "I'm sure he tried to warn you away or something. He's very…protective."

"And he's got every right to be, you're his mother," said Joe. "I'm still pretty protective of mine."

"Yeah. He's never really trusted his gender and with good reason. Most guys see him and once they realize who he is to me, they abruptly disappear, want nothing to do with him _or_ me. Either that or he scares them off himself with his acid tongue."

"I guess it's great I'm not most guys, right?" Joe grinned. "I don't mind getting to know your kids, Sasha. I know I can't exactly force T.K. to like me either, but hopefully we can be civil at some point." He cast her a meaningful look, and Sasha could only stare back at him. Statements like that made her affection for him grow.

"If you don't mind my asking, the kids…where's their dad?" Seeing the look on her face, Joe added hastily, "I know it's none of my business-"

Sasha shook her head. "It's okay. Their fathers are out of the picture."

"Fathers?" he repeated, treading lightly.

"Fathers. With an S," she confirmed, looking down at her feet. "T.K.'s father left while I was pregnant. I broke up with Mia's dad a couple of months before she was born. I've been on my own since." She didn't quite know why she was telling him so much. The age gap was one thing. That she was a single mother with two children from two different men was another. She'd spent a better part of her life being looked down upon as a result. Every time she opened up to Joe she worried that he'd start to look differently at her, wondered which of her revelations would scare him away. She didn't mean to feel so negative all the time, but it was fact. There weren't many accepting or understanding people in the world, so the fact that Joe was still here wanting to know more about her was as baffling as it was heart-warming.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Silence fell between them for a few moments. "When I was a kid, I felt like we were living in a single-parent home," Joe began, catching the mother-of-two's attention. "My dad was hardly ever around. For months on end we didn't see him because he was traveling so much, wrestling all around the world. Mom ran the house in his absence. She was dad _and_ mom to my sisters, my brother and me for a long time. I know it's not the same because my parents are still together, but I kinda understand. It ain't easy. It sure as hell wasn't easy for my mom, but she never complained."

"Your mother sounds like a strong woman."

"She is. And so are you." The Samoan kissed her hand and smiled.

Touched by his words, she squeezed his hand in gratitude. "You're sweet."

"Only stating facts, beautiful. Come on, let's get going."

They started walking again. On their way back to his car, rain began to fall in a light drizzle. Before they knew it the sky opened, and it was like a big bucket of water was being dumped over them. "Oh my God!" Sasha cried, horrified.

Joe pulled her by the hand. "Come on!" They raced to the nearest building, nearly slipping on the wet surface in their haste to take cover. Though they missed the brunt of the downpour, their hair and clothes were still soaked. "Okay, that was crazy," Sasha said, her words dissolving in a shiver as she looked out at the now-torrential, windy rain. By the looks of things they were going to be stuck here for a while.

Noticing her paling face and trembling frame, Joe took her by the arm and pulled her close to him. "Jeez, you're shaking," he commented, raising his voice to be heard over the roar of the pouring rain. "Let's try to get you warm, alright?" Hoping he wouldn't be smacked, he snuck his arms inside her jacket and linked them around her waist, sighing with relief when he felt her hands go through his own coat. He rubbed her back, trying to generate heat between them. Or so he told himself. "Better?"

"Yeah," she nodded, keeping her arms firmly around him. She looked up into his eyes and felt her heart begin to beat faster. It amazed her just how stunning he was.

Joe's grey gaze was soft, yet intense as it traveled along Sasha's face. Unable to help himself, he lifted his hand to cup her cheek, hearing her breath catch as he wiped away the rain water with his thumb. For a big man, his touch was pleasantly gentle. The narrow space they occupied brought their bodies even closer, if that was possible, and he was sure she could feel his own heart pounding rapidly in his chest. His tongue instinctively snaked out to moisten his lips, and he did not miss the way her darkened eyes trailed the action. He watched her closely, giving her time to push him away, to stop him. But she didn't. So he went for it.

Dipping his head, Joe gently brushed his lips across her own. On hearing the faint sigh that escaped her he did it again, a little more lingering this time. The feel of her fingers clenching his back and her lips instantly moving against his emboldened him. He slipped his tongue in to deepen the kiss and almost moaned out loud when Sasha reciprocated with equal passion, tilting her head for better access and cupping the back of his neck to keep him close. His large arms tightened around her, enjoying the smell of rain mingling with her familiar scent, her body ensconced in his, the sweet taste of her soft, moist lips as they explored each other's mouths.

Sasha now remembered why she'd been so torn about taking this step. She'd figured out that the brute physical strength and power he exuded would manifest itself in intimacy, that it would overpower every semblance of control she owned. That fear had come to light with just one kiss. The minute his mouth connected with hers and the wave of heat spread through her body, she knew she was in serious trouble. But right now she would welcome trouble with open arms if it meant he would keep kissing her like this. His taste was an appealing mix of Frappucino and man, and she doubted she'd tasted anything better.

Joe growled low in his throat before releasing her mouth. He heard her breath suck in as they broke contact, felt her breasts press against his chest, aware of her ﬁngers tangled in the back of his hair. Their heavy breathing ﬁlled the small enclosure as they stared at each other. Goddamn, that was amazing. The Samoan man's head was spinning. He wanted more. He wanted Sasha in a way that made all logic disappear and his body tense with desire. But he had to rein his self-control back in before he did something he would regret and ruin everything before it could start.

"Wow." Sasha didn't recognize her own voice. Hell, she was surprised she could even speak. All she could do right now was lock eyes with Joe while grinning like a complete idiot.

Joe rested his forehead against hers. "I've wanted to do that since I first saw you." His thumb traced her kiss-swollen lips, feeling her warm breath brush over the digit. "And I think it was definitely worth the wait."

"I agree." Sasha leaned into him, her hands framing his face, and whispered, "More importantly, I don't mind you doing it again."

She didn't need to tell him twice. With a grin matching her own, he obliged her with another lingering kiss. Outside, the downpour continued, but neither minded. They weren't going anywhere anytime soon.

* * *

_**Finally, right?**_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Massive thank you to **__justkimmy, DeeMarie426, Alexis Black-Reigns, wwefanatic365, ChelleLew, WildSpiritCat, Tammy, IRENELOVE83, nikki1335, i-r-i-s, thakidisbac __**and **__benova13__** for the feedback. Glad you're all loving ITDE.**_

* * *

Joe hadn't seen Sasha in two days, and truth be told he was missing her like crazy. She was stuck at home tending to her sick daughter. When she'd called to tell him about Mia contracting chicken pox she sounded tired, and he felt bad. Since then he had been thinking about doing something for her, but he didn't know what.

He felt a hand on his knee and looked up to meet a familiar pair of eyes staring at him with concern. "You've zoned out on me, Leati. What is it?"

Of all his three siblings, he was closest to his oldest sister, Alma. He could tell her pretty much anything, and with two children of her own, she could probably give him some advice on this situation. "Is it hard to be home with a kid with chicken pox?" he asked.

Though the question clearly surprised her, she didn't hesitate. "Oh Lord, yes. All that scratching and whining and oozing…it's horrible. It was a nightmare when my boys caught it. I also remember when you, Matt and Cassandra were younger and you all got it at once. Mom was stuck with y'all for nearly two weeks. Why do you ask?"

"A, um…friend of mine's daughter got the pox, and she's been stuck in her house for a couple of days now. I've been wondering if maybe there's something I could do to help her."

"Where's her husband?" Alma asked plainly. "Or partner?"

"She doesn't have one." And he left it at that.

"Oh. That must be tough."

It had to be. In fact, Joe had been thinking about that a lot, about just how much responsibility Sasha had on her shoulders as a single parent, and how busy it kept her. Even if they did get together, now that he was about to dive back into his crazy schedule, how often were they really going to see each other? It was no wonder she had reservations about going out with him.

"You seem awful concerned about her," his sister stated, ever observant. When he stared back at her, she grinned slyly. "Are you sleeping with her?"

He bristled. "No."

"You mean not yet."

"Don't," Joe warned. "She sounds exhausted, Al. I just wish I could help, ya know?"

Alma nodded. "Well, you could go check on her. Maybe take something along for her daughter? Kids get bored with the chicken pox because after the first two days they don't feel sick anymore but they can't go out, so a new book or toy goes a long way."

"You really think it'll be okay to go see her?" Joe had been pondering doing just that, but he had talked himself out of it.

"Of course. She's got to be desperate for company, and giving her kid a distraction will be appreciated."

Joe sat back, deep in thought. He wanted to do that for Sasha. He liked her enough to want to do that. He wanted to give her a break. Heck, he just wanted to see her. Badly. She was all he thought about lately, no matter what he tried.

His sister was studying him in a way that made him uncomfortable. "I have a serious question for you, Leati, and I'm sure Ma will ask the same thing if she was here," she began. "How do you feel about dating a woman who has children already? Are you sure you want to take that on?"

"We're just seeing each other casually, Alma. It's not a big deal."

"Yeah, but every relationship starts out casually then grows into something more. Are you okay with the possibility of raising another man's children? Especially after everything?" She trailed off, staring meaningfully at him.

Joe knew exactly what 'everything' was, and hated being reminded of it. It would always be a sore subject with him. Always. "Let's just not go jumping ahead, alright?" Talk like that was too early, much too early, among other things.

Alma held up her hands in mock surrender. "Relax. I just wanted to make sure you've thought this through. Personally, I think this woman is lucky to have you around. You obviously care very much about her." Smiling, she patted his shoulder. "You're a good boy, Leati. I hope this one works out for you."

* * *

Sasha sat slumped on the sofa, exhausted despite the early morning. She'd spent two days tending to an itchy, cranky little girl. Two days changing dirty sheets, towels and pajamas, trying to find something Mia could eat or be entertained with, and getting her hands lathered in calamine lotion. She was forced to send T.K. over to his friends', and Reggie was kind enough to give her the time she needed to care for Mia. Calling Joe to vent helped a little, and she was pleasantly surprised by how understanding he was about it. Despite being worn out and feeling slightly claustrophobic in her little apartment, she understood that this was her reality, and she was happy to be taking care of her child.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Not expecting anyone, she quickly tucked stray hairs back into her ponytail in an attempt to look more presentable and walked over, peeking through the peephole.

Oh snap! Joe?!

What the hell was he doing here? And could she look any worse? She couldn't not answer the door. It would be rude, for one. Secondly, he had three huge brown paper bags in his arms, making her even more curious as to why he was here. Thirdly, when it came down to it, she did want to see him. Wiping at her shiny face, she opened the door. "Hi."

He smiled. "Morning, beautiful. How are you doing?"

"Been better. What's up?"

He grinned sheepishly. "I thought maybe you could use some company. And I know you couldn't go out so I did some grocery shopping for you."

Taking a glance at the bags, she saw they were all filled to the brim with food items. Surprised at first, she suddenly realized why he'd gone out of his way like this. Embarrassment and anger bubbled within her like molten lava. "What's all this for?" she demanded, gesturing at the bags with one hand.

Joe's smile faltered a little. "Uh, consumption, last time I checked."

"Right. Way to rub it in, Joe. Real nice. Thanks," she snarled.

All humor was gone now, and he was taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor. "Is something wrong?"

"I know you opened my refrigerator that time you came over," she said accusingly. "Now I don't know what you're thinking, Joe, but I ain't no charity case. You didn't need to buy all of this. I didn't tell you things just so you could feel sorry for me, alright?"

"I don't feel sorry for you. I just wanted to help you out."

Sasha huffed, her arms coming over her chest defensively. "I don't need your help. I can handle my business just fine."

Joe closed his eyes. Took a deep breath. "It ain't like that, Sasha. I never said you were a charity case. Your daughter is sick, you're stressed out, and I wanted to ease some of that stress for you, because that's what friends do. I didn't mean anything else by it." He stopped talking, looked at her. Though her anger seemed to quell, she still didn't look pleased. Disappointment washed over him. "Look, I'll just drop these off and go," he murmured. "I'm sorry I offended you."

Taking in his crestfallen expression, Sasha's shoulders sagged with guilt, and she cursed herself for her rashness. "Wait. I'm sorry. I just…it's been a rough couple of days. Please don't go." Taking one bag from him, she pushed the door further open for him, remorse in her gaze. Joe obviously had good intentions and she'd misread it all.

Luckily, surprisingly, he seemed to understand. She was relieved when he kissed her forehead and gave her a small smile. "Water under the bridge, darlin'. Like I said, you're stressed out."

He really had gone all out. Her frig was the fullest it had been in a long time, stocked with every food item imaginable. Sasha spied a small black bundle wrapped in transparent covering that he had set aside from the groceries. "What's that?"

"A little present for Mia," Joe said. "How's she doing? My sister said it's tough to be stuck in the house with sick kids, especially chicken pox because they can't go out for a while and get bored."

Wait, he had discussed her with his sister? That set a certain amount of panic off in her, but she did her best not to dwell on it. "She's asleep right now. I'm just glad it's the weekend. She'll have more time to rest and be ready for school on Monday. You had the chicken pox before?"

"Yep, when I was little."

"Lucky you. Better then than now." She picked up the eggs. "I guess I could make an omelet for Mia. I'll make you one too, to atone for my earlier stupidity."

"I told you all is forgiven. Grab a seat." Taking the eggs from her, he guided her away from the stove, and she grew even more confused when he started bringing out pots and pans from the cupboards. "What are you doing?"

"You've been on your feet for days now. Let me handle this, alright? Now sit," he commanded gently, gesturing towards a chair before setting his sights on the task at hand. Sasha gaped at him for a long moment before doing as she was told. Big bad WWE wrestler Roman Reigns was going to cook for her? This was going to be very interesting, indeed.

And it was. Within twenty minutes he had prepared a full continental breakfast – eggs, sausages, bacon, toast and orange juice, all spread enticingly over the kitchen table. The sight of him in all his buff gorgeousness moving around her kitchen like he'd done so a hundred times before had been a very welcome bonus. "Okay, I totally underestimated you," Sasha remarked, amazed. "I never would've taken you for a cook."

"Looks can be deceiving, baby girl. Us Samoan boys are great in the kitchen. I'm not as great as my cousins but I'm pretty solid all round."

Sasha stood up to wash her hands. "Well, if this was anything to go by, a real meal will be a sight to see."

"Then let's make it official," he suggested. "Lunch. My place. Tomorrow."

"Your place?" Whoa. He was inviting her to his house? This was a new step.

"Yeah. I make the best barbequed chicken." He moved to stand in front of her, silently asking for permission as he rested his hands on her hips. He smiled to himself at her intent, almost longing stare. In the next move they were kissing, brushing each other's lips back and forth with light, teasing strokes. Joe couldn't help himself. Her lips had been calling his name from the minute he stepped inside her house and he felt like if he didn't kiss her he was going to go crazy.

Sasha responded instantly to his kiss, she herself having ached to feel his mouth on hers once again. Her fingers linked behind his neck as his hulking frame trapped her against the kitchen sink, and a mix of shock and thrill surged through her as she felt his hand on her butt and his arousal against her hip. She leaned further into him, her arms dropping to wind around his back and pulling him closer. The passion that settled in the pits of their stomach emerged when the kiss increased in intensity. Her tongue darted into his mouth, causing him to moan softly, and in response he squeezed her butt cheek, earning a moan from her. Something akin to elation flooded his system. He'd thought about this very moment for the past two days. Having had a taste of her, he craved more, and judging from the way she kissed him back, so did she.

"Mama?"

Sasha ripped away from Joe, completely startled by the new voice. Hastily wiping her mouth, she found her daughter standing a few feet away, barefoot and wrapped in a blanket, her face streaked with drying calamine lotion. Her eyes were big and curious as she stared at the huge stranger in their kitchen.

"Baby! You're awake," Sasha squeaked, her voice rising a few octaves, scared to know how long Mia had been standing there for. When Mia made no reply, she realized she was still staring at Joe. "Uh…Mia, this is Joe. Joe, this is Mia," she introduced them.

Joe waved and approached slowly. "Hi, Mia. Nice to meet you."

The little girl cocked her head to the side, and he noticed how much she resembled Sasha at that moment. "Isn't your name Roman Reigns?" she said.

He almost burst out laughing. Her mother said the same thing when they first met. "Roman Reigns is my wrestling name, but you little lady, can call me Joe," he smiled. "And speaking of…" He held up her present. "Your mom told me you weren't feeling so good so I brought you something. Wanna see what it is?"

Whatever suspicions the little girl initially harbored were quickly forgotten. "Okay!" She shuffled over as he unwrapped it, revealing a brand new Shield kids' hooded sweater. One of the bonuses of being a top WWE Superstar was that people were at your beck and call anywhere and anytime. Within an hour of requesting the hoodie, he got it. He couldn't lie; it was a sweet perk. "Do you like it?" he asked Mia, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"I love it!" she exclaimed, shrugging off her blanket to put it on, wearing it over her pajamas and pulling the hood over her head. "How do I look, Mama?"

"You look great, baby," Sasha smiled. "Now what do you say to Joe?"

"Thank you." She rolled up the sleeves. "Do I look as cool as Dean Ambrose? He always looks cool when he wears his."

"Is Dean your favorite?" That would surprise Joe a little. The younger demographic usually leaned towards Seth's high-flying moves.

Mia sat down next to him at the table and put a piece of bacon in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "I like Seth the best. But you all do different cool stuff. You guys are mean though. You're always beating everybody up."

"We're only serving our brand of justice, sweetheart," Joe answered, momentarily slipping into character.

"But you're doing it wrong," the eight-year-old insisted. "You don't want Daniel Bryan to be Champion and that's not fair."

Sasha never quite realized how much Mia knew about wrestling. She recalled her and T.K. gushing over an episode they'd watched at Pam's house, and a couple of times the little girl had actually attempted to engage her in a wrestling-related conversation. Now seeing her talk so freely with Joe, it almost made her feel left out.

In no time, Mia and Joe were fast friends. They talked about everything, from their favorite cartoons and hobbies to their favorite subjects at school. It made Sasha smile to see Mia in a much better mood. Watching the two of them talking and laughing caused a funny sensation to stir within her, but she banished the thought before it had the chance to settle. _Don't go there, Sasha._

"Is that really your hair?" Mia was asking now. "Let it down. I wanna see."

"Mia," Sasha warned, but Joe assured her it was fine and pulled out the band securing his hair, letting it fall. "See this?" he boasted, flicking his chest-length locks proudly, "This is full-grown thoroughbred mane right here."

"It's so long. I wish I had hair like that." Mia actually pouted, causing the big man to laugh. "I'll take that as a compliment, sweetheart." He took her hand and kissed the back of it. "You know, you're as pretty as your mom."

Mia's eyes went wide, then she gave him a big grin. She turned to Sasha. "Mama, he's sexy!"

Joe choked back a laugh. Sasha looked at her daughter in utter horror. "And how do you know what sexy is?" she exclaimed.

"That's what Aunt Pam says whenever Charlie from dance class kisses her hand."

Sasha was at a loss for words. Her baby was spending way too much time around her best friend, she thought as she excused herself to go to the bathroom.

Chuckling softly to himself, Joe made to finish his breakfast, pausing when he felt Mia's eyes on him. "Everything okay? You're not eating much."

"Are you the one that's always making Mama smile over the phone?" Mia asked.

Uh oh. Interrogation time. "Well, I'd like to think it's me. But yeah, guilty as charged," he smiled.

"She likes you," Mia stated matter-of-factly. "She always smiles like, real big after she hangs up."

His smirk widened. "Is that so?"

"Uh huh." She glanced over at him. "Obviously, you like her too."

"I do. A lot." Though he had a feeling she wouldn't have been this inquisitive if she hadn't found them necking in the kitchen, he supposed he owed it to her to be honest. "Are you okay with that?" he asked.

Toying with the zipper of her new hoodie, Mia shrugged. "Yeah. You're nice. The last guy that liked Mama was annoying. He talked to me like a baby. I'm almost ten. I'm not a baby."

"That you are not," Joe agreed. Gazing down at this bright, intelligent little girl, his eyes stung. Startled by the unexpected emotions, he quickly blinked them away_._

Sasha returned, and Mia yawned, coming down from her chair and gathered her blanket back around herself. "I'm going back to bed." She smiled at Joe. "Thanks for the sweater."

"Pleasure's all mine, sweetheart." He got to his feet as well. "I guess that's my cue to head out."

Wishing he didn't have to, Sasha followed him to the front door. "Thank you for breakfast," she said. "And for hangin' out with Mia. She's had a rough couple of days and she really needed that. You were really good with her."

"You can thank my nephews and nieces for that," Joe replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Plus she's an awesome kid."

Sasha reached out to rub his tattooed forearm. "Well, I think you'll make a great father someday."

"Someday," he said simply. "So, lunch tomorrow?" He deftly changed the subject.

"Why do I feel like I've monopolized all of your time off?" she asked, jokingly.

"Trust me when I say I don't mind at all." At this point he couldn't stay away from her if he tried. He traced his finger along her jaw. "I think we had our first fight today."

Sasha groaned and looked away. "Don't remind me. I still feel horrible about that."

Joe caught her chin and gently tilted her face back up. "I would never disrespect you, Sasha. Not intentionally. You know that, right?" His tone was serious as his eyes searched hers. He understood that she was used to being on her own. He also understood what she was going through, raising her kids alone, and he wanted to be there for her in whatever capacity she was comfortable with.

She nodded. She believed him. She hadn't known Joe for long, but she knew he wasn't like that. Wasn't expecting anything in return, unlike the others. "I know." Checking that her bedroom door was firmly shut – the last thing she needed was Mia interrupting them again – she kissed him softly, fighting the strong urge to dive deep into his mouth again. "You go on, handsome. We'll talk later."

* * *

_**Got carried away with this chapter. I talk too much. Thank you for reading, and spread the love for ITDE! :)**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Thank you to **__thakidisbac, Tammy, Alexis Black-Reigns, DeeMarie426, ChelleLew, wwefanatic365, IRENELOVE83, benova13, nikki1335__** and **__princessreigns __**for the reviews. Enjoy 9!**_

* * *

"Man, this girl of yours must be somethin' else."

Joe rolled his eyes, less surprised by the comment than the fact that his friend had held his tongue for as long he did. "Don't start, Lopez."

The man known in the wrestling world as Seth Rollins scoffed. "Do not roll your eyes at me, G.I. How else do you want me to react? You're fucking cooking!" he pointed out.

"Yeah man," the other man with them, Jon Good asked from the other end of the kitchen island. "You've never cooked for us."

"That's because you're not important." Joe knew he was in for it the moment his Shield brethren showed up at his place and found him slaving away in the kitchen. They'd come over to hang out before Colby went back to his girlfriend and Jon returned home to Las Vegas. But now they were gathered in Joe's kitchen, like some warped version of Knights of the Round Table, about to probe him about his love life. He huffed and checked his phone again. Sasha wasn't to arrive for another hour but he felt the urge to call her, or at least text her and make sure she got the directions right.

"Dude, your shit didn't ring." Jon sat back in his chair and laughed. "I cannot wait to meet this chick. She better be all that, because she got you acting like a Grade-A pussy," he said, ducking when the big man aimed for his head. "Seriously Joe, who is she? Where'd ya meet her?"

"Her name is Sasha. She works for a friend of mine at his restaurant."

"So you got a thing for the waitress, huh? She hot?"

Colby scrunched up his nose at Jon. "What kinda dumbass question is that? You know G.I. only got the best broads hanging on his arm. The real question is how long have you been seeing her, man? You didn't even tell us about her."

"That's because it only got started a few days ago. I wasn't exactly about to go shouting on the rooftops."

"Okay, fine. But still, you should tell_ us_. We're your boys. Is she tall? Short? Blonde? Brunette? Kids? Criminal record? Details, big man!"

"No record I that know of," Joe chuckled, sliding the marinated chicken into the oven. "What she looks like is for y'all to find out. And yes, she got kids."

Colby snickered. "Hehe. I'd pay good money to see some five-year-old tearing the mighty Roman Reigns a new one for trying to steal his mom."

"He's seventeen."

They both gaped at him. "Wait, how old is this chick?" asked Jon.

"Mid-thirties. She had him young." He put the potato salad in the fridge. "She got an eight-year-old too. Mia. Smart kid. You're her favorite, Rollins, and she digs Ambrose's hoodie."

Colby was fascinated. "Gotta say I'm jealous, bro. I've never found any MILFs."

"Nah, been there done that. And trust me when I say you couldn't handle it, little boy," Jon taunted.

Colby grabbed the roll of tin foil and chucked it across the table at Jon. "Who are you calling little boy, punk ass."

"Enough! Don't make me whip y'all asses. Jeez." He looked at the time again.

Colby watched Joe with a wide grin on his face. "Aw, this is so cute," he cooed. "When was the last time you saw G.I. like this, Jon?"

"You'd be like this too if you were finally getting laid," Jon stuck up for his friend.

Joe grunted. He wished. "I'm not getting laid."

"_What_? All this hard work, cooking and shit, and no ass? What's the fucking point?" Jon shook his head in pity as he sipped his protein shake.

"Because unlike you dumbasses, that's not my priority. Maybe I actually want to get to know her." The Samoan glared at Jon, who quickly put up his hands. "Fine, fine. Don't be so touchy."

Walking up to the bigger man, Colby patted his shoulder. "Honestly, we're stoked for you, man. It's about time you got out there again, ya know?" he said, his dark eyes gleaming with sincerity. Jon nodded his head in agreement, and Joe winced at the suddenly-serious looks on his friends' faces, knowing exactly what they were talking about. "Yeah." He cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Well, she's going to be here soon so whatever you do, do not embarrass me."

"Oh come on! When have we ever embarrassed you?"

"That's a rhetorical question, right?"

* * *

Sasha felt small, smaller than she already was. Every house in this fancy-ass neighborhood made her feel out of place, and Joe's was no exception. She wasn't sure it was the right house until she spotted the familiar license plate on the Range Rover parked in the driveway. Sucking it up, she tapped in Joe's phone number on her cell phone and waited for him to pick up. Damn. She knew he lived large but this was _large_.

"Hello? Ow! Goddamn it…I swear to God if you touch me again Colby, I'ma fuck you up," His deep voice sounded slightly far away as he spoke. "Hello, Sasha?"

He had visitors? Oh no. "Hey. I'm here. Number one-thirty-nine, right?"

Joe breathed a sigh of relief. "Yeah, you got it." He'd wanted to pick her up, but she'd had to take Mia to Reggie and Cheryl's place first. "I'm upstairs getting changed, but I'll get my friend to open the door so you won't be stuck outside."

"No problem." She smiled when she heard another male voice shout "I'm coming!" followed by Joe's exasperated groan. "Let me apologize in advance for any stupid thing my friend says or does. He was dropped on his head as a baby. I'll be down in a bit."

"Okay. See you." Walking up to the house, she could feel her palms sweating already. A part of her couldn't help but wonder if he would be different with her around his friends. Based on experience, guys tended to do that, and not in a positive way. Joe didn't strike her as that type of guy, but he _was_ a guy and she wasn't ruling anything out. She had already made up her mind that she was going to be cautious and not get caught up.

_Yeah, like you've been cautious so far,_ she thought to herself. _You've made out with him, he's met your kids, he's been at your place twice and now you're at his, all in a matter of days._ Y_ou're already caught up, girl. Admit it._

The front door opened before she could counter her thoughts, revealing a tall, thick-bearded, grinning young man. She remembered his blonde and black hair from YouTube. "Hi! You must be Sasha," he greeted, stepping aside for her to come in. "I'm Colby."

"Hi, Colby." She followed him into the house and jumped a little when she spotted another big guy, clean-shaven with light curly hair coming towards them from the open kitchen area. "Hi. I'm Jon." He extended his hand, which she took.

"I'm Sasha. Nice to meet you both." Gosh, they were really tall, as tall as Joe, but with slightly less intimidating statures. "You're Joe's Shield friends, right?"

Colby smiled. "That's us. Joe's told us about you."

Sasha's face warmed. "Has he now?"

"All good stuff, don't worry. He's upstairs getting dolled up for you," Jon snickered, and Sasha noticed his deep dimples.

"Come sit down," Colby offered, leading her to the kitchen area, where he proceeded to engage her in conversation, with Jon chiming in every now and then. When Joe came into the kitchen, Sasha felt, rather than saw him. It was weird how acutely attuned she had become to his presence. _Caught up._

Joe kissed Sasha's cheek, relieved to see that his doofus friends hadn't scared her off. "I hope finding this place wasn't too difficult," he said.

How did he always manage to look so delicious in something as simple as a t-shirt and jeans? "It was fine. The cab guy knew this area right away."

"A number of wrestlers live around here. We've probably used the cab company a hundred times." He cast a glance at his friends. Behind Sasha's back, Colby flashed him two thumbs up and an approving grin while Jon made a show of checking her out, tongue dangling and all. "I take it you've met the Dumbass Brothers over there."

Sasha laughed. "Don't be mean. They're nice."

"See? We've been nothing but perfect gentlemen," said Colby, frowning when Joe glared at him then cut his eyes to the front door. "Dude, are you kicking us out?"

"They don't have to go," said Sasha.

"It's fine. We got stuff to do anyway," Jon said, grabbing Colby's arm. They didn't, but Joe looked like he would spear them both if they didn't vanish that instant. "Nice meeting you, Sasha. Come on, Colb."

"Bye, Sasha," Colby sang, waving his fingers at the laughing woman while Joe shook his head. "That wasn't very nice," Sasha admonished playfully, swatting his arm.

"What? I told them you'd be here. They'll be back anyway. They're staying over tonight." He gave her a long look. "I haven't said hello to you, have I?"

Grinning, Sasha shook her head. "Uh-uh."

A corner of his lips quirked. "Hi." Leaning down, he kissed her sweetly, and Sasha went weak in the knees. He was an amazing kisser without even trying, always left her wanting more. "What you got cooking?" she managed to speak, the words murmured against his mouth. Her gaze suddenly snapped towards the hand she'd instinctively clamped over his massive, bulging bicep. "Wow," she breathed, her eyes widening with fascination as she squeezed his arm again.

Joe felt pride swell within him. "Chicken, as promised." He answered the question she asked. "Should be done by now, actually." He stole a few more kisses off her before reluctantly letting her go. "Ever tried chicken barbecued with pineapple juice?"

"Pineapple juice?"

"Yep. It's the usual barbecue sauce, you just mix a bit of pineapple juice in it, Hawaiian style. It tastes better than it sounds, I promise. I got some potato salad in the fridge as well, and regular salad. Drink?"

"Water's fine." She made her way to the spacious living room. Everything in the house seemed to be bigger than average, but it made sense since Joe was a big guy. The decor was simple yet tasteful, with ceiling-to-floor windows making up the walls in some corners of the open layout. From outside she could see the deck leading to the backyard, where a large swimming pool was. "Wow. You have a beautiful place," she commented. She looked at the pictures of his family. There were a few pictures from his days at Georgia Tech as well, with his name inscribed underneath some of them. "Your name's Leati?"

He almost hadn't heard a word she'd said; he was too busy eyeing up her backside. "Lay-ah-kee," he pronounced it correctly for her. "It's my Samoan name. Only my closest family still calls me that. Everyone else goes by Joe."

"Lay-ah-kee." She tested the name out. "I like it," she remarked, and Joe's body flushed with want at the sound of his birth name rolling off her lips. His name had never sounded sexier. Suddenly feeling warm, he quickly turned away and put all of his concentration on withdrawing the chicken from the oven.

Sasha rejoined him in the kitchen. "So, you excited to go back to work?"

"Mixed feelings," he admitted, setting a bottle of water in front of her. "I've enjoyed my vacation for obvious reasons." He met her gaze with a wink, causing her to lower her head shyly. "But yeah, it'll be good to get back into the groove of things. There's never a dull moment in our business."

"It must be nice doing something you've always wanted to do," said Sasha. "Living your dream."

"Yeah. Wrestling's it for me. Even when I was doing something else, it was all I thought about. What about you? I have a sneaky suspicion that bartending isn't your dream career."

"Bartending isn't all I do there, you know. And don't knock it. It is a dream career for some people out there." She stared into space for a minute. "I guess I've always been big on photography."

"Photography?"

"Yeah. I got a camera on my thirteenth birthday and I was hooked. I went everywhere with it, took a whole lot of pictures." She sighed sadly. "And then it got stolen." Plus life got in the way, but that was another story.

"That sucks," Joe said, pausing when his phone vibrated. He picked it up, pushed a button, then frowned. "What is it?" Sasha inquired.

"Just a co-worker of mine. I don't even want to know what she wants now," he muttered, eyes still on his phone and not looking particularly happy.

She? Sasha cleared her throat, feeling something she refused to label as jealousy. "Maybe it's important," she offered.

"It's not, trust me." Joe set his phone back down, looking uncomfortable. "She's, uh…asking me out."

"Oh." Curiosity got the better of her, and she reached for his phone. _'What r u doin 2nite?'_ was the message sent to him. The air rushed out of her lungs as she gaped at the profile picture of a very pretty blonde woman with a sizeable cleavage. The photo was at bust level but the mother-of-two could already detect the killer body that complemented the dazzling smile. Danielle, her name was. Sasha had no right to be jealous. There was nothing between her and Joe; at least nothing concrete enough to warrant such feelings. He could do whatever he wanted, and that included dating stunning, twenty-something beauty queen types. "She's hot," she managed to force out. "Go out with her if you want."

"I actually did a few times. We had a storyline together in Developmental and we would grab a bite to eat after shows and stuff, but that's where it ended for me. She's a nice girl, but I'm just not that interested in her."

Not interested? He wasn't interested in this young, perky slice of hotness? That was just crazy. There was nothing _not_ to be interested in. Heck, if she were gay, she probably would be interested herself. The more Sasha looked at the photo, the saggier she felt. "I don't get it."

"Get what?"

She set the phone back down and crossed her legs. "Why don't you want her?"

Joe looked at her like she'd grown a second head. "What do you mean?"

"I just can't figure out what you're doing with ratchet old me when you can have Supermodel over there."

She didn't get it, did she? Maybe she wanted him to spell it out. And after hearing the comment she just made, maybe he needed to. "You're not ratchet. I think you're very beautiful, and I want _you_."

Her gaze softened. He wanted her? "You're kidding."

"Kidding?" Joe rounded the kitchen island and slowly approached her, his eyes on her the whole time. He invaded her space, his frame towering over hers in that dauntingly attractive way he seemed to have mastered. Sasha gasped when he reached for her crossed leg, caressing her jean-clad ankle before slowly sliding his large hand up her calf. Challenge sparkled in his grey irises.

"You have no idea how sexy you are, do you, baby?" he whispered, "Do you know how much it's taking inside of me not to drag you up to my bedroom, rip your clothes off and fuck you senseless?" He watched her eyes widen in shock. "Hell, it's taking everything in me not to take you right here, right now." He risked getting the taste slapped out of his mouth but he suspected that would not be the case. Not with what he saw in her eyes. Not when he was almost certain that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

Sasha stared at Joe, speechless. She should have been repelled by the blatancy, the audaciousness of the statement. After all, in retrospect, they barely knew each other. But instead she sat there, surrounded by his familiar scent once again, incredibly, irretrievably aroused. One look in his charcoal-colored eyes, hazy with desire, shot shivers down her spine. Her teeth clamped down on her lower lip as he continued to torture her with his touch.

"Please stop biting your lip, otherwise I might not be so restrained anymore."

Automatically, she let go of her lip. Goddamn. His voice was so husky, so full of need. All for her. She legitimately didn't know what to think.

Joe leaned even closer, talking low in her ear. "I _have_ thought about it, ya know. Your hot little body pinned underneath mine…me touching all over you…my dick buried inside you, making you come over and over until you're limp from pleasure and begging me to stop…" His hand went past her knee, creeping along her inner thigh, and Sasha shut her eyes and let her own imagination run wild. Sudden images of their bodies, naked and panting, her fingers tangled in his long, silky head of hair as his hard length probed her, left her breathless. Her skin pebbled, her nipples tightened, the reaction so strong she squirmed in her seat. Lust was all she felt. Hot, bone-melting lust for the hulking, gorgeous man in front of her.

Just as he reached the juncture between her thighs and she was about to hyperventilate, Joe took his hand away and stepped back. Cool air swirled in to replace his warmth. Flustered, Sasha glanced up at him, wondering why the hell he'd stopped. There was no mistaking the evil little smirk that curled his luscious lips that told her he knew exactly what he was doing. "I've imagined that for a long time now, so no, I'm not kidding," he said innocently, as though nothing had happened. "But we can talk about that another time. You're here for lunch, so let's eat." And then he turned his back, leaving Sasha hot and bothered and her bottle of water in a death grip.

Hot damn.

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_**The last scene though *fans self* I'd love to hear your thoughts from top to bottom, guys! :D**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**I know you were all hoping for part two of the last chapter. Sorry loves, that bit will be left to your imagination. But don't worry, there's more of this story to come.**_

_**Thank you **__ChelleLew, wwefanatic365, justkimmy, Tammy, DeeMarie426, IRENELOVE83, nikki1335, benova13__** and **__princessreigns__** for reviewing! **__**Mwah!**_

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Sasha held her head in her hands, having just finished venting about the current dilemma she was facing. "I'm so screwed, Pam," she lamented.

Pam was silent, the woman staring dazedly at Sasha. Then, breaking out of her trance, she blinked and shook her head. "I'm sorry…I'm still stuck on the part where he wants to fuck you senseless."

If it wasn't for Mia and the other kids practicing a routine at the other end of the mirrored studio room, the mother-of-two would have smacked Pam upside the head. But she knew better than to make the other woman look like a chump in front of her students. "Is that the only thing you heard, trick? You're supposed to be giving me advice!"

"And I've been trying to do that all this time, but you ain't been listening," Pam retorted, "I told you if he wanted sex, you jump his ass! But he all but spells it out for you and you don't take him up on the offer?" Sasha had introduced her to Joe, and Pam knew if he had told_ her_ such a thing she would have been jailed for indecent public exposure. Her best friend was made of sterner stuff, that was for sure. "Girl. We've talked about this. This is a mutually beneficial situation. He gets what he wants and you get what you need. And since he's going back on the road you don't have to see him again." Pam paused, peering closely at her friend's conflicted expression. "Unless…you _do_ want to see him again."

Sasha sighed heavily. "I don't know," she replied truthfully. "On one hand I do but on the other, I'm not sure. All the traveling Joe's about to do; that's what his real life is like. This week off was a luxury. In reality, he's home only for about two months in the entire year because of his job. Even if we keep seeing each other, how often will it be? He's hardly going to be around, and that's not stable. I want stable, and I kinda like the stability I already have in my life."

"In other words, I'm content with my boring, sex-less life," Pam rolled her eyes, causing Sasha to frown at her. "You're killing me, Sasha. He wants you. You want him. I don't see what the problem is."

"Right. He says he wants me but for all I care I'm just some kind of MILF experiment to him." It would break her heart if that was truly the case. "I don't know, Pam. I just feel like I've let him get too close too soon." She looked over at her daughter, who was learning a dance move with a friend, wearing the Shield hoodie Joe had given her. Sasha recalled how he had made Mia laugh when she was sick. She thought about herself; the sparks that flew between her and Joe, the attraction that was now too compelling to deny. The last time she harbored such strong feelings however, she winded up pregnant. Twice. And twice, she was abandoned. She didn't think her heart could handle it a third time.

Pam studied her friend. She knew firsthand of how proud a woman she was; accustomed to being on her own and fending for herself. Even when Pam wanted to help out, Sasha grumbled about it. So it must have chipped at her heart when Joe bought things for her. This was unfamiliar territory she was crossing, territory she wasn't comfortable with. And though it was understandable, Pam secretly wished she could let that go. "Look, Sasha, I'm not going to tell you what to do-"

"Well that's a first," she quipped.

"Shut up! I'm just saying, I think you should give him a chance. He obviously cares about you. I don't know many men that would go through the trouble of coming to spend time with you and your kid when she's sick. And ain't no way he did all of that just to get some ass, because let's face it, he can just flip his hair back and girls will come a-runnin'," Pam pointed out, and Sasha thought of Danielle. "From what I've seen and what you've told me, he seems like a decent guy. Maybe you should talk to him?"

"Hell no!" Sasha shot back. "I'll just look desperate and clingy. Look, I don't even know why I'm stressing out. Like I said, I'm probably never going to see him again. I should let it go. He's a great guy, and we had fun. That's it."

"Then let it be," said Pam. "If you're that worried about getting attached, then him leaving should be good news." She checked her watch. The kids' break was over. Standing up, she patted Sasha's shoulder. "I just think it's a shame you might be letting something good go."

* * *

It was almost eleven p.m. Sasha's eyes were just drifting shut when her phone vibrated, flashing a text message.

_Hey baby girl. U awake?_

A big smile spread across her face at the term of endearment. It was Joe. They barely communicated all day because he'd been so busy. She typed a reply.

_Looks that way. Whats up?_

_Long ass day, n now I can't sleep,_ he replied_. Hope I'm not buggin u, I know it's late._

_No, it's fine. Anything I can help with?_

_Can I come over?_

Her eyebrows shot up. _Now?_

_Yeah._ Several seconds passed before his next text came. _I want to see u._

Dread and excitement swooped in her stomach. _Sure. Call me when u get here. I'll meet u outside._

_Cool. See u soon. X_

Sasha got off the bed and looked for something to wear. She settled for a fitting grey tank top and dark skinny jeans, in a bid to look nice but effortless at the same time. She fluffed her hair a little, smiling giddily to herself. No matter her clashing feelings, she knew she'd never turn down the chance to spend time with him. She checked that her children were asleep, safe and secure before leaving the apartment. She felt like a teenager again, sneaking out to meet with her crush.

Outside, she found Joe leaning against his SUV, looking at his phone. He was also dressed casually in a tank top, basketball shorts and flip flops, with his hair pulled back. Sensing her presence, he looked up and smiled. "Good evening, pretty lady."

"Hi." Tucking her hands into her back pockets, Sasha approached him slowly, watching the way his eyes traveled down her body. "Thought you have an early flight tomorrow," she said.

"I do. But I wasn't going to leave without seeing you." He opened the passenger's door for her. "You up for a drive?"

"Sure." Right now, she would go anywhere with him, especially if this was their last time together.

In the car they talked about Joe's day, with soft rock music playing on the radio. They pulled up at an empty parking lot which overlooked the beach. As Joe killed the engine, Sasha stepped out of the Range Rover and was greeted with the saline breeze blowing on her face. Sitting on the hood of the car, which was warm but not uncomfortably so, Joe pulled her to sit between his legs, encircling her waist with his arms. Sasha leaned back against his chest, feeling the warmth of his body through the thin layers of clothing. Her hand brushed his, and Joe loosened his grip so that their fingers could intertwine. Leaning down, he pressed his lips to her temple. They remained that way for a long time, looking out at the waves that crashed in and out of the shore.

"So you're off tomorrow, huh?" Sasha asked.

"Yeah," She felt his massive body heave in a sigh. "Got our itinerary today. We're moving around the country non-stop for the next two weeks. Probably to make up for the break."

"You'll be fine," she assured him. "Ya know, I'm thinking of watching Raw on Monday." She cranked her head to meet his eyes, and she could tell he was surprised by her statement. "Yeah?" he said.

Sasha shrugged, played it cool. "Yeah. It'll be nice to watch you and your boys live in action." Turning her upper body, she slid her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest, feeling his arms wind back around her. His body was warm and he smelled so good. His face nuzzled her hair as he stroked the small of her back, his hand lingering on the slope that segued to the curve of her butt before sneaking inside her top to touch her bare skin. His touch set the butterflies in her stomach loose, causing her to shiver.

"Are you cold?" Joe asked.

She shook her head. In a spontaneous act, she placed a kiss on his chest, right over his heart. She then went higher, brushing her lips over the crook of his neck, and smiled when he inhaled sharply. Tilting her head, she met his waiting lips, which captured hers in one sweep. His large hand splayed over her back, keeping her flush against him as he took possession of her mouth with bold strokes of his tongue. The taste of his unique, indescribable flavor had Sasha's head spinning once again. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he lifted her off the hood of the SUV, turned them around and sat her on it, their mouths still fused together. Stood between her legs, Joe's hands traveled over her body, leaving a trail of delicious warmth in their path. One thing Sasha had learned in the past few days was that she missed kissing, missed feeling a man's chest against hers. She had missed the way it felt to have strong arms wrapped around her. With Joe's size and warmth, the feeling was more amazing. To know she may never get to experience it again saddened her.

Eventually they broke apart, still wrapped in each other's arms. Studying his beautiful face, the nearby street light defining the angles of his jawline, Sasha couldn't resist stealing another kiss. She'd gotten to know him in the past week and was captivated. He was young and gorgeous and ambitious. He had an interesting life, so different from her own. He was a decent guy, a gentleman and very different from what she expected. Plus he was a goddamn fantastic kisser, and all of this made it harder to do what she had to do. "I had a great time this week, Joe," she said, her hand gently stroking the side of his neck. "I won't forget it. Thank you."

A frown formed on his features. "You sound like this is the end or something."

A long, tense moment of silence passed. "Isn't it?"

He didn't need to think through his answer. "I don't want it to be," he admitted. "I had an amazing week too, Sasha. Truth is, I want to keep seeing you."

She was dumbfounded. "You're serious."

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?" Why didn't he like the sudden change in her tone?

Shaking her head, she took her hands off him and crossed her arms defensively. It was time for the kiddie gloves to come off. "Come on, Joe. I'm nearly ten years older than you. I got two kids. I'm not exactly the kind of woman a guy like you dates. And your career is blowing up and you're going to be busy with all the traveling and you won't be home often. I just don't know how that's going to work. Aren't you better off with all them girls you work with?" she rambled. She wasn't making excuses, she had told herself. She was stating facts, and the facts relating to her had put off previous suitors before. No matter the promises they made, they always walked away in the end. But she was determined to end it on her own terms if he eventually planned on joining that list. She would push him first instead of letting him jump.

Joe watched her, patiently waiting for her to finish before he spoke. "First off, if I wanted to be with those girls, I would be already. But I don't, so I'm not," he said. "Second, age is just a number to me. I've told you that already. Once you're attracted to someone, you're attracted. And in case I haven't made it clear yet, I'm attracted to you." When she bit her lip, he reached up and gently tugged it back into place. He wouldn't be able to make his point if she kept doing that. "And if anything, you've amped up my respect for single mothers. Y'all are badasses, man," he finished with a grin, which Sasha returned, albeit reluctantly.

"Well, I appreciate your vote of confidence," she said, then looked away with a sigh. "It's just…I don't know…it's been so long since I did this dating thing, and I'm confused and I'm a mess."

He could see her mind working, worrying. "You know you're not the only one nervous about all of this, right?" he told her. "I'm just as afraid as you are."

That surprised her. "You are?"

"Hard to believe, but yeah." he chuckled, rolling his eyes. The mirth was short-lived as he gazed into the distance, deep in thought. "Sasha…my last serious relationship ended a little over three years ago, and it was a mess." Maybe one day he could bring himself to tell her the whole story. "After it happened, I lost all interest in dating, choosing to focus on making it into the WWE. And I got in, and The Shield blew up and I left that part of my life in the backburner. For a long time that's where it stayed. Until I met you."

Sasha gave a slight smile.

"I wish I could explain it," Joe went on. "It's like there was this switch inside me that was flipped back on. And now all I wanna do is talk to you and spend time with you and just be around you. I've been thinking about you a lot, Sasha. And it freaks me out a little because I haven't felt like this in a long time. I know you think nothing should happen between us because of how different we are and my job schedule, and you're thinking about your kids, too. I get it. I want to agree with you. Heck, I _should_ agree. But you know what's stopping me?" He gestured between them. "This thing between us. I feel it, and I know you do too. You can't fake a chemistry like ours, baby girl, or walk away from it. So I'm thinking…since you're scared, and I'm scared…maybe we could be scared together."

Sasha absorbed every word he said. Hearing it from him, it sounded good. Really good. But was it really that simple?

Her train of thought was broken when Joe gently framed her face with his hands and brought her gaze back to his. "Sasha, I like you," he said sincerely. "I've never met anyone like you before and I know a good thing when I see it. I want to see where this takes us. We can take it as slow as you want and figure it out together. I'll be the first to admit it's not going to be easy, but I want to try." He lifted her knuckles to his lips. "So what do you say? Can we try?"

Holding his warm, grey gaze for several long seconds, the mother of two could hear Pam's voice in her head, screaming at her not to fuck this up. Joe was a good guy, she'd said so herself. No matter how much skepticism she felt, the bottom line was that she liked him too. She owed it to herself to at least try. She only hoped she wouldn't regret it in the end. "Yes."

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_**Writing this chapter was tough as heck. Kindly review to soothe my aching brain, lol. What did you think? Will it be smooth sailing for Joe and Sasha?**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Thank you to **__justkimmy, __wwefanatic365__, __maddieclaybourne__, __broguekicking__, __too much drama 1225__, __jouetdedestin__, Tammy, __IRENELOVE83__, __DeeMarie426__, __princessreigns__, __ChelleLew__,__benova13__, __Olivia Reigns__** and **__Shield316 __**for reviewing. Nice to see some new faces. I truly appreciate you guys and all of your feedback.**_

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"You're a psycho, you know that?" Sasha commented as she and Pam left another store with half a dozen bags between them. "Why the hell did we buy all of this?"

After Sasha confided in Pam about her and Joe's decision, the first thing the petite woman did was take Sasha shopping. And not just any kind of shopping, either. The horrified mother-of-two was dragged to every lingerie store in the mall, from Fig Leaves to La Perla to Victoria's Secret, and she stood by bewildered as Pam chose pieces she thought would look good on her friend. G-strings and stockings, babydolls and teddies, cotton and lace; Pam picked them all. Sasha wondered how she kept letting herself get talked into situations like this. "We said we're taking things slow, Pam. Buying new underwear is not taking things slow."

"No, it's being proactive," Pam stated matter-of-factly. "You gotta be prepared, girl. Joe will be back before you know it, and you never know when he might decide to strike, if you catch my drift."

"But the bras and panties I already own are fine."

"Honey, there's bras and panties. And then there's _lingerie_," Pam corrected. "_Lingerie _is exactly what you need if you wanna get the ball rolling with Joe. Ooh, you're gonna look real sexy in that white babydoll outfit. Maybe you should wear that one first."

"I'm just surprised Victoria's Secret had sizes big enough for my butt." Honestly, the thought of exposing her body to Joe was terrifying. Having squeezed out two babies and left with stretch marks on her stomach and hips, sexy was the last adjective to describe her with. Sasha wasn't fat, but next to her best friend she looked relatively out of shape. Thanks to her line of work, Pam was a trim, toned specimen. And Joe…well, he was perfect, plain and simple. Intimidatingly perfect.

Damn, she really shouldn't have let Pam waste her money.

"Oh, quit your whinin'," Pam reprimanded her. "Do you know how envious I am of your body? I gotta work my ass off to look like this. You've popped out two babies, hardly exercise and you still look like a video ho."

"I resent that."

"You know what I mean, you dummy. Anyway, trust me on this, the lingerie is a smart decision. I know the Samoan Adonis will appreciate the gesture." She wiggled her eyebrows, and laughing out loud Sasha shook her head. "You are so excited about this," she said, "Maybe we should switch places. _You_ go hump Joe in the sleazy underwear and tell me all about it."

"Naw, honey," Pam countered, "As tempting as that sounds, it ain't gonna happen. He couldn't take his eyes off you that time you introduced us. He's all yours and you _will _make the most of it, alright? You can thank me by screaming my name while he lays the pipe."

"Oh God." Sasha covered her face. Pam was incorrigible. "You a crazy bitch, Pamela."

"I love you too. Now, let's go get our hair did."

The salon she and Pam regularly went to was a conveyor belt of living, breathing Tyler Perry screenplays. Gossip flowed like cold water on a hot sunny day. Whether it was the salon owner's ex-husband and their divorce battles, or a customer bragging about using her child support payments to buy her new boyfriend speakers for his car, or the hairdressers griping over their pay, nothing and no one was off limits. One time there was a full-blown catfight in the middle of the salon. A lot of drama went on in front of paying customers and there was no time Sasha came there without feeling as if she was in a sitcom. But she'd be lying if she said it all wasn't entertaining.

The mother of two opted for a dark, wavy weave with side bangs, and showed her hairdresser the picture in the magazine. The last thing she wanted was some ratchet-looking atrocity on her head, like some of the things she was seeing right now inside the salon. With Pam sitting to her left talking on her cell phone, Sasha honed in on the conversation to her right. A lady in her early forties was talking to her friend and another woman about her niece who was dating an NCAA football star and he'd apparently cheated on her.

"Never date them sports stars," the lady's friend was saying, shaking her head sadly. "They eyes always wander. Left, right, up, down. Football players, basketball players, baseball players. All cut from the same damn cloth."

"Boxers are the worst," the fourth woman chimed in. "They got a shitload o' money but I'd never go out with 'em. They treat their women like shit."

The lady's friend nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Floyd Mayweather beats on his baby mama every day but she sit there and take it simply 'cause she gettin' his money."

"At least she gettin' his money," the lady said. "And he can't get rid of her, not unless he wanna end up in court and get child support bills shoved up his ass."

The lady's hairdresser, a notorious loudmouth named Juanita did not hesitate to put in her two cents. "What about wrestlers? Them Hulk Hogan types?" she asked. "I like them."

The lady gave Juanita a strange look. "Now honey that's just desperate. They're the worst of the worst."

Sasha stiffened, listening more intently now.

"But they're so hot," Juanita sighed. "The Rock is just delish."

"Sure, they hot, but they got more demons than Legion," said the lady's friend, suddenly an expert in sports psychology. "All them steroids and shit they keep takin' to look huge like that? Gets to the brain, turns them into total psychos."

Sasha knew for a fact that neither Joe nor his friends took steroids. The Samoan had mentioned this as one of the many unfortunate stigmas imposed upon wrestlers by the general public. She wanted to refute the claims, but she did not fancy getting her head bitten off by the women who were evidently steadfast in their beliefs.

"I know right?" said the fourth lady. "Remember that wrestler a number of years ago? The one that killed his wife and kid then offed himself?"

Juanita nodded. "Oh yeah, I remember that. It was all over the news. That was terrible."

"Nah, Rashad know better than to get into that steroid shit," the lady scoffed. "He'll kill his career before it's even started."

"Why you give a fuck about this Rashad guy anyway? He cheated on your niece. She should leave his ass. Once a cheater, always a cheater," the lady's friend said, rather bitterly.

"Hell no," the lady said. "He ain't the first man to ever cheat. She'd better stick with him. He gon' start makin' that big-time paper soon. We talkin' NFL kinda paper. At least if she's with him she'll be able to take care of her kids. They can sort out that other stuff later."

'That other stuff'? So his money was more important than his faithfulness to her niece? To each their own, Sasha supposed.

"They his kids?" Juanita asked the lady.

"No."

"Wow."

"Wow?" The fourth woman voiced the exact same question running through Sasha's head.

"Yeah, wow. Ain't no man gonna take care of kids that ain't his, no matter how much money he got," said Juanita. "Maybe that's why he's steppin' out on her anyway."

"That ain't true. Some men are good like that," the fourth woman argued.

"Naw, I agree with Juanita. Men like that don't exist," the lady's friend said. "Either they pretending from the start or they think they heroes, comin' to rescue the poor burdened woman. One day the woman will become a burden to _him_. He gonna get tired of saving the world and bail on her ass. That's a guarantee."

As the women continued to debate, Sasha sat there, feeling like someone had opened the book on her foreseeable future and was ripping it to shreds. Was this Joe's line of thinking too? Did he have a hero complex, and was only with her to feed his ego? And then when he got tired of her, he would bail on her as well?

_Stop it, _she told herself sternly, before her paranoia could set in like it always did, and focused on the girl doing her hair. Joe didn't think she was a burden. He wasn't like that. He was different.

* * *

Monday was a busy day for Sasha. She and Reggie spent half the day interviewing prospective staff and for some reason there was more considerable traffic than usual at the Grill. Not that Reggie minded. Sasha looked forward to watching Raw tonight, to see Joe do his thing live. She couldn't call him because he was so busy, but they exchanged texts when he had time. Sasha wondered what T.K. would think if she joined him and Mia to watch the show at Pam's apartment. It was going to be an interesting night.

Speaking of her teenage son, she was surprised when he showed up at the Grill late in the afternoon. Normally after basketball practice, he hung out with his teammates before coming home. He rarely came to the Grill. He was still wearing his Mason Hill High Knights t-shirt, and there was a look on his face that told her something was bothering him. "Hey, baby. How was practice?"

He shrugged. "Good." And that was it. He usually went into detail with all things basketball and WWE. Something was definitely up. "Everything alright?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be with the boys?"

"I was with them but I had to leave," said T.K.

"Why?"

"I don't want to talk about it. Not yet, anyway."

Sasha grimaced. "Ty-"

"I'm fine, mom. I promise," T.K. said, finally looking at her. "Don't let me get in your way. I'll just wait until you're done with your shift."

She eyed him skeptically, but she had to let it be. Whenever T.K. got like this, she had to wait it out. It could take minutes or hours or even days, but it wasn't coming out until he was good and ready. It was a bad habit, bottling things up inside, and T.K. was very good at it.

When she was finished with work, her son was still sitting at the table she'd left him at, staring at his empty glass of Coke that Amber had brought him. The brunette had sat with him for a couple of minutes but Sasha was sure she hadn't gotten anything out of the teenager either. Sliding into the booth, Sasha gazed at him. "You gonna tell me what's wrong now?"

Rubbing his short wavy hair awkwardly, he sighed heavily. "Um…so the guys and I were hangin' out at that new fast food joint after practice, just chillin', when I look over in the corner and see my sperm donor-"

"Tyson," she warned.

"What? He is." He shrugged and glared at his mother, but she knew his anger was not directed at her. "Yeah, so I saw him with that psycho wife of his and their daughter. I got pissed, so I left. Came here." He'd left out the more important chunk of the story – that he and his father had locked eyes from across the restaurant, looked each other right in the eyes, only for the older man to turn away as though he had never seen the boy in his life. Again. That he was playing happy families with some other people and treating T.K. like he did not exist ate at the teenager and unable to take it anymore, he left his friends and found his way towards the only parent he had left.

Sasha should have known this was the reason he was in this mood. "I'm sorry, baby."

T.K. shrugged. "Don't worry about it, Ma."

But she worried. She hated that he was carrying this anger and bitterness and guilt around with him, wondering why he wasn't good enough for his father. What happened between her and Tyson Sr. was not his fault and she always tried to make him see that. And though the influence of a father figure wasn't that easy to replace, she would never stop trying to fill the void.

Feeling her phone vibrate she pulled it out, and grinned when she read Joe's new text, thawing the tension she was currently feeling.

_Jon n Colb say hi. Like they made me text u just for that sole purpose. Smh. X_

T.K.'s eyes were on his mother. There was only one person that made her smile like that these days. "So are you and him dating now or somethin'?"

Looking up from her phone, it was Sasha's turn to feel self-conscious. "Not quite. We're just taking it slow, seeing how it goes," she replied, holding his curious gaze.

"I noticed the fridge was stocked the other day," he said. "And Mia's new sweater. I'm guessing that was all him. I don't know if I would turn down a guy that does nice stuff like that, either."

At his implicating words, Sasha's expression darkened, and she was taken back in time to the unsavory discussion in the salon a couple of days ago. "That's not why I'm seeing him, Tyson," she ground out, offended that her own son would think such a thing about her.

"Mama, relax," T.K. laughed, raising his hands to placate her. "I know that's not why. You never needed a man to take care of us and you ain't about to start now. Besides, I know what you're like. You probably cussed his ass out for buying the food anyway…ow!" His deep voice morphed into a squeal of alarm when Sasha smacked the back of his head. "Mama!"

"What'd I tell you about cussing, especially in public? Next time I'ma whip your butt in front of everybody," she scolded, in full Mom mode.

T.K. shook his head, wincing as his head stung a little. "Sorry." Looking back at her, he gently nudged her shoulder with his. "So…you gonna watch Monday Night Raw with us at Aunt Pam's?" His smile widened when Sasha looked surprised. "Am I invited?" she asked, hesitating.

"Yeah, why not?" T.K. shrugged. She returned his grin, hope swelling within her. She still didn't know if this meant Tyson had fully accepted this new development in her life, but she supposed this was a start of some sort.

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_**Thoughts? Did it get too serious at some point? Top-to-bottom reviews will be much, much appreciated. Love reading that kind very much :)**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Wow guys. Big, big love to **__too much drama 1225, DeeMarie426, clarembees, justkimmy, Tammy, broguekicking, Shield316, wwefanatic365, Hyoyeon, IRENELOVE83, nikki1335, Olivia Reigns, benova13, caleb's babe __**and **__princessreigns__** for the reviews.**_

_**You might like this chapter just a teeny bit…**_

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Sasha learned quickly that watching Joe live was a completely different spectacle from viewing YouTube videos. The unpredictability of live television made it a nerve-wracking experience, as she was more concerned for his safety than sitting back to enjoy the show. Her heart lurched when Sheamus – T.K. had filled her in on the names – tossed him against the steel steps at one point and then into the barricade at another, and was amazed when he still got up and managed to deliver a vicious spear to one of Sheamus' tag team partners, Ryback. The match was complete carnage, but The Shield emerged victorious. Near-nervous breakdown aside, she thought Joe, Jon and Colby did great. The crowd ate out of their hands, and Sasha understood why the three men were called the hottest thing in wrestling right now. Watching Smackdown was less worrying, since she learned it was taped on Tuesday but aired on Friday. At least when Joe called her on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, she was assured that he was still alive.

They talked every night, even after he had a match. She loved talking with him and always looked forward to his I.D. popping up on her phone. She realized she was growing more comfortable with this thing happening between them, and whenever her insecurities nagged at her, one phone call from him made them go away, at least temporarily.

Lying in bed with a glass of red wine between her fingers and her phone pressed to her ear, she laughed at the sound of Colby making kissy noises on the other end of the line, followed by a couple of expletives from Joe and what sounded like a shoe making unfriendly contact with a door. "One of these days I'ma lock him in a hotel closet and leave him there. Drive to the next town by myself," the Samoan griped.

"You three seem to bicker a lot," Sasha observed.

"Naw, it's all good-natured," Joe explained. "We screw around with each other but it's all in good fun, most of the time."

"It's good to know Colby's okay. I still can't get over that fall he took last night." She shuddered as she recalled the sight of Colby landing on his head after taking what T.K. had called a suicide dive outside the ring. Apparently Colby had always had a penchant for hazardous maneuvers. "How do y'all not get seriously hurt?"

"We're used to it. But we don't really feel the aches and pains until we get backstage. We've been lucky so far injury-wise. When Jon and Colby were in the Independent scene they were maniacs. For them, bleeding was like breathing air." He paused. "I'm not helping, am I?"

"Nope."

"Sorry," he chuckled.

"It just looks so dangerous," said Sasha. "Even when I used to watch it when I was younger, that guy – Mankind, was it? It looked like he was trying to get himself killed with all the stuff he was doing, it was so scary."

"So I guess you coming to the live show in Tampa is out of the question then?"

Sasha took a sip of wine. "Oh? When is it?"

"Next week, Friday night. It's not taped so there's fewer people and it's less formal. Mia and T.K. can come along if they want."

There was no doubt that T.K. would want to be there. They'd never been to a WWE event before and he probably would never speak to her again if he was unable to attend simply because she was fussing and fretting. "Okay. I'll talk to them," she said. "I'm sure they'd love to come."

"Cool. Just let me know and I'll handle the rest."

"Okay." Silence fell between the two of them for a minute. "You alright, handsome?" asked Sasha, "Tired? You must be."

"I'm good," he replied, pausing again. "Would I be too forward if I told you I miss you?"

Her smile was so wide that she had to bite her lip, twirling a strand of her hair in her finger. _He misses me!_ "No. I miss you too. But I think I miss your pineapple juice chicken more," she joked.

Joe burst out laughing. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope, it was awesome. You should totally give me the recipe for that."

"Oh, I get it. All this time you've just been using me for my culinary skills. That cuts me real deep, Sash."

"Aww, I'll kiss it better when you get back," she said, thoroughly enjoying the flirty banter between them.

"I'ma hold you to that, baby girl. So what are you up to right now?"

"Nothing. Just lying in bed, sipping on the wine I swiped from Pam last night. Mia fell asleep in T.K.'s room so I got mine all to myself."

"Hmm. What are you wearing?"

Her breath caught. "Why?"

"Just curious. Trying to imagine what you look like right now," he said flippantly, pausing. "But you could always tell me to mind my business."

She could. But she found herself not wanting to. "Well, if you must know, I'm in a t-shirt and pajama pants," she answered. "Not my sexiest, but hey, comfort comes first right?"

"You'd look sexy in anything, sweetheart."

"How do you know? You haven't seen me wear everything," Sasha countered with a laugh.

"Frankly, I'd rather see you wear nothing."

Oh wow. He really wasn't one to beat around the bush, was he? "Are you sure you're prepared for that?"

"I thought I made that pretty clear a while back."

Oh yeah, he did. The memory of creaming her panties in the middle of his kitchen wasn't the easiest to get rid of. However, she wasn't going to lie there and pretend she hadn't thought of him the exact same way, on more than one occasion for that matter. And since they'd taken this interesting turn with their conversation, she might as well have fun with it. "How about you, handsome? What are you wearing?"

"Boxer shorts."

Sasha shivered as a mental image of his half-naked body popped into her mind. "That sounds really hot."

"Does it now?"

Setting her glass of wine aside, she made herself more comfortable on her bed. "You always look hot no matter what you're wearing, babe. But your Shield outfit? That takes the cake."

"Oh yeah?" he whispered, his voice taking on a deep, husky tone she'd never really heard from him before. She liked it. A lot.

"Mm-hmm," she purred, suddenly emboldened. "A lot of thoughts run through my mind when I watch you in the ring."

She all but saw the smirk on his face. "Dirty thoughts?"

"Maybe," she replied coyly.

"Even better," he said, shifting around on his bed. "So describe it to me. What are you thinking when you watch me? Don't be shy."

She blinked through the dimness of her bedroom, envisioning his beautiful features. "I want to reach into the TV and run my fingers through your long, wet hair. I like the way your arms always flex and tense up even when you're not moving. It's so sexy. Your ass is perfect in that S.W.A.T. outfit, they definitely should be doing more back shots of you." The temperature of her room seemed to rise with every word she spoke. The juncture between her legs started to throb as desire mounted within her. Subconsciously, her free hand closed over her left breast, squeezing gently. "The way you dominate people in the ring….the look in your eyes whenever the camera gets you up close, that little pouty thing you do with your lips…and then when you talk trash…your voice…it just does things to me." She continued to caress her chest, gasping softly as she rolled her nipple between her fingers.

Joe could hear every sound she was making, and his breath hitched. "Things like what?" he asked. "Tell me, Sasha."

She was too turned on to be embarrassed to answer. "Like wanting to touch myself," she replied. She wasn't sure what had come over her – perhaps it was the alcohol in her system that was making her so bold and uninhibited. But damn if she didn't want to feel his touch, his body on her. She just wanted him, in whatever form she could have him, and at this moment a phone call was fair game.

It was a long time before Joe said anything, and when he did his voice was husky, strained. "You touching yourself right now, baby?" he asked.

"Uh huh," she sighed.

"Where?"

"My titties."

Shit. Those gorgeous, big round mounds of hers. He'd copped a feel of them once or twice during their make-out sessions. He craved to feel them in his palms again. "Nice. Them nipples are puckered up nice and hard then, huh?" he said.

"Yeah," she breathed, gasping a little as she squeezed.

"Good. I want you to take off your pants now," said Joe.

Damn. Bossy, wasn't he? As deftly as she could, she wiggled out of her pajama pants, keeping her phone against her ear. "Done."

"Good. Run your fingers up and down the inside of your thighs. Stroke them pretty thighs for me."

She did as he instructed, inspired by the recollection of his hand running seductively over her leg. "Mmm."

Her deep, languid sigh encouraged Joe. He would be lying through his teeth if he said he didn't like the direction the phone call had taken. "Now imagine it's my tongue," he said, "Licking your thighs one after the other. Up and down, nice and slow. You like it slow, baby?"

"Yeah." Moist heat pooled in her loins. His tongue did wonders inside her mouth, so the thought of it swirling all over her body made her tense up even more. "Mmm, that feels so good."

"You sound real sexy, baby girl." His voice was low and husky. "Your voice is turning me on right now."

Sasha's skin prickled. "So's yours, handsome. Keep talking," she said.

"Put your fingers between your legs," he said, his own fingers trailing down to his body. "Tease your pussy for me."

She was already a step ahead of him, dipping her hand into her damp panties. It was a long time since she'd let herself go like this and it felt good. Really, really good. She moaned as her fingers probed and stroked the most intimate part of her, mentally replacing her hand with Joe's larger one. "Ohhhh yes…"

"Are you wet for me, baby?" he asked.

"I'm soaked, baby…oh shit…"

"I bet you taste good. I'ma eat that pussy for dessert, lick it up real nice and clean," he rasped. "You like having your pussy ate, baby?"

"Yes. Fuck, Joe," Sasha whined, dizzy with desire.

"Tell me what else you want me to do to you," he said.

Sasha whimpered as she grew closer to her release. "I...I want you to fuck me."

"How? How do you like to be fucked, Sasha?"

Shutting her eyes tightly and honing in on his deep, bone-melting voice, her fingers picked up speed. "From the front, the back, sideways…anyway _you_ like it, baby."

"That sounds real good, sweetheart. Tell me how you want it now."

"I want you on top of me," she breathed. She heard the throaty curse at the other end of the line and knew she wasn't the only one pleasing herself anymore. To know she was the reason he was aroused turned her on even more. "First you're sucking on my tits, while I'm stroking your big hard dick..." she trailed off, whimpering from the sensations swirling inside her. Through the haze of passion, she heard Joe moan. Taking a big gulp of air, she forged ahead. "Then you move your fingers and your tongue up and down my body slowly, just how I like it…you spread my legs out wide, then I play with my clit while you fuck me hard and fast..."

"Do it, baby girl. Fuck yourself faster," he ordered between his harsh pants.

She did as was told, her hips bucking as her fingers pumped inside her. "Fuck, you feel so good baby," she moaned, tossing her head back. "Oh god, Joe…fuck!"

Joe groaned. "Sasha...oh my god."

Unable to speak anymore, their heavy breathing and moaning dominated the next couple of minutes. Sasha's body seized up, a small squeal escaping her as the pleasure overtook her in waves. Everything felt far away and hazy and incredible. She eventually came down from her high, trying to catch her breath, and was vaguely aware of the Samoan doing the same at the other end of the line.

Joe finally regained his voice. "Was that good for you, baby?"

Good was an understatement. He had no idea how much she'd needed that. Giggling, she stretched across the bed like a lazy cat. "It was great. Thank you, handsome."

"My genuine pleasure, baby girl. We're coming home soon. I do owe you a number of dates."

"Oh, don't worry about me," Sasha said. "You just focus on work. When you do get back just make sure it's in one piece, is all I'm asking."

Joe chuckled. "I'll try." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I can't wait to see you, baby girl."

A part of her didn't want him to hang up, but knew he needed his sleep more than ever now. "Yeah," she said, her voice a little raspy. "I feel the same way." And after what just happened between them, she meant every word.

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_***clears throat* the first of many between these two, we're hoping. Yes?**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**MNR thoughts: Ambrose on commentary all day err day. Roman just standing there looking hot as heck even with a black eye? I approve. Seth remains a boss in the ring.**_

_**Big thank you to **__too much drama 1225, DeeMarie426, Alexis Black-Reigns, broguekicking, clarembees, benova13, wwefanatic365, IRENELOVE83, Olivia Reigns, CFierce116, Shield316, SailingSoul, Tammy, Pinayprincesa, princessreigns,nikki1335 __**and **__justkimmy __**for the reviews. Wow, why do I feel under pressure now? Lol. Very glad you're all loving ITDE.**_

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All the time. That's how often Sasha thought about _that_ night. _That_ phone call. Even now, two days later, as she sat on the bench across from her daughter's school, she daydreamed about it, her legs crossed tighter than normal. If phone sex was meant to alleviate her very lengthy dry spell, it hadn't quite succeeded. Because it only made her want the real thing even more. She'd gone a very long time without intercourse. It wasn't because she was a prude – it was mainly because she was preoccupied with trying to keep her life and her kids' lives in order. And considering that not one of the men she'd met during that period was worthy enough to get into her pants, it was a foregone conclusion that she would be relegated to the occasional, albeit mediocre, bout of self-service possibly for the rest of her life.

But if last night was a preview of what she could have, she would be fucking crazy to turn it away. There was absolutely nothing mediocre about it.

Her teeth tugged her bottom lip as Joe's deep voice played over and over in her mind. She recalled how she had quaked and melted at his every word, visualized his skin meeting hers, as though he'd been right there in the room with her. Giving in to him had been so easy. There was no way the skills of seduction he possessed were acquired overnight. He'd told her about his days as a star athlete in college, the attention he received, and coupled with his stardom in the WWE, he was used to having the ladies in the palm of his hand. Clearly he was experienced with the ways of a woman, and that made him dangerous. But it was the kind of danger her inner vixen – now wide awake after nearly a decade of slumber – was very, very eager to encounter.

The school bell rang shrilly, signaling the end of another day, and the kids began to pile out of the building. She caught sight of a car pulling up nearby, and her heart sank when she recognized the vehicle as that of her ex, Tyson. His daughter attended kindergarten next door to Mia. Sasha turned away as a woman emerged from the car, hoping she couldn't be seen. This was the reason she preferred Pam picking up Mia. Other than the fact that Pam's gym was closer to the school, Sasha could also avoid getting caught in the hurricane that was Desiree Bridges.

But after five plus years of dealing with her, she knew that wasn't going to happen.

For an attractive woman, Tyson's wife had an ugly, bitchy, polarizing attitude. Barely into her mid-twenties, she was tall and skinny, with nicely shaped eyes and a dark complexion similar to Sasha's. But that was where the appeal ended. T.K. wasn't kidding when he called her a psycho. Desiree was a confrontation magnet and went out of her way to antagonize people. And when she was in her element, her neck would start rolling, swishing around the offensively long, cheap weave she seemed to have a taste for, and the most obscene ghetto vitriol would spill out of her mouth. There was no real surprise there, in Sasha's mind, considering her background. She was the typical welfare broad; section eight, food stamps, the whole nine yards, the type of person that you could take out of the 'Hood but the 'Hood wasn't leaving them anytime soon. In the initial stages of her relationship with Tyson, Desiree went around town slandering the man's former partners, gloating about how none of them could keep him satisfied. And with Sasha being the closest in proximity, she was an easy target for Desiree. What the younger woman didn't know that Tyson was probably stepping out on her. Just like he had cheated on Sasha back then with the high school bicycle, Brenda. Heck, he had cheated on his last girl _with_ Desiree. A leopard's spots never changed. He may be married, but Sasha knew damn well that it wouldn't be enough to keep him from playing away from home.

But Tyson's love life was no longer her concern. All she cared about was him doing the right thing by his son, but since he had recently reemphasized that he had no plans of doing so, she was back to keeping him at an arm's length. And that was fine by her.

Too bad Desiree couldn't show her the same courtesy. "Hey, you! I been lookin' for your ass!" she shouted, marching up to her.

Sasha rolled her eyes. "What'chu want?" As always, she refused to say her name. It was petty, but she didn't care. "I ain't got time for you."

"Well you better make time, ho," the younger woman retorted. "You stay the hell away from my man."

Taking a glance at the car, she spotted Tyson shrunk back in the driver's seat, looking anywhere but at the two women. Even he had yet to get a grip on his cantankerous spouse. "I didn't go near your man."

"Like hell you didn't! You gonna tell me you didn't stalk him at his workplace asking for money? Fuckin' liar!"

"I did not stalk him. I went to talk to him about his son." Sasha sighed, looking back towards the school. Where the hell was Mia?

Desiree planted her hand on her hip and sucked in her teeth. "I don't give a damn! He told you he done with your frumpy little ass seventeen fuckin' years ago!"

Fed up, Sasha finally faced her. "I am the mother of his first child, bitch! If he was doing what's right by his son I ain't gotta tell him shit!" she spat, hating that this woman always managed to bait her into a shouting match. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Tyson, finally resurfacing from the safety of his vehicle to reach for his daughter, and rounded on him. "And you! Your punk ass went cryin' to her like a little bitch, like I did something wrong! I came to you for your son, nothing more! That discussion was between me and you. Why you gotta bring her into it?"

"He's my motherfuckin' husband, so whatever happens with him _is_ my business," Desiree interjected. "He don't want nothin' to do with you _or_ your bastard son so fuck off!"

Anger shot through the mother of two's veins like adrenaline, but somehow she kept it at bay. "You watch your fuckin' mouth before I slap you into next week, little girl," she said evenly. "And look around. You're embarrassing yourself."

Sure enough, people were staring openly at them, but Desiree didn't give a damn. She'd been called out and she wasn't going to stand for it. "Who you talkin' to like that, huh?" she snarled, reaching for her massive hoop earrings. "You wanna say that again, old lady? Huh? You wanna go?"

Sasha merely rolled her eyes at the other woman's dramatic behavior, and sighed with relief when she saw Mia jogging towards her. Finally.

Tyson, meanwhile, had finally grown a set and was pulling his irate wife back. "Come on, baby, let it go," he said. "Tiffani's in the car. Let's go home."

"You better check that ho, Ty!" Desiree continued to rant. "Who does she think she is? I don't ever want you near her, you understand me?"

"I don't give a damn about her. You know that, baby," Tyson replied haughtily.

Sasha looked the man she once loved up and down, disgusted. It still amazed her that this was what he'd ended up with as a wife. "I don't give a damn about y'all neither, but for some reason you still find a reason to get in my face." She took Mia by the hand. "Come on baby, let's go." Swinging her purse over her shoulder, she started towards the bus stop, with Desiree's voice trailing behind them;

"Yeah ho. Go up in that bus and get gone, you and your nappyhead girl! You can't even afford a car yet you mouthin' off to me!"

Sasha ignored her, but man was she itching to get her hands dirty. Had Pam been here she'd have urged her to put the bitch in her place, but there really was no sense in arguing with a woman like that. The longer she stayed and argued with her, the more certain there would be a fight. It just wasn't worth it. Plus she didn't want Mia to watch her beat the shit out of another human being.

As they boarded the bus, Mia said, "Why does she yell like that all the time?" She shook her head in pity for Desiree. "Ladies don't yell, right Mama?"

_That's because she's not a lady. _"That's exactly right, baby."

* * *

Engrossed with the text he was typing, Joe frowned when a slender hand closed over his screen. He swatted the offending obstacle away, and glanced up to see Trinity McCray plopping down next to him in the catering room.

"Hello to you too, Joseph," she greeted, just as his cousin Jonny, known as Jimmy to the WWE Universe and Trinity's fiancé, joined him on his other side, a bag of trail mix in his grasp. "Sup, Uce?"

He murmured back a response, and the Diva known as Naomi turned her body fully towards him, poking his shoulder with her finger. "What's this I'm hearing about you having a girlfriend? And why didn't you tell me?" she pouted.

Tilting his head accusingly, Joe leveled his cousin with a glare, and the Uso had the good sense to look sheepish. So far only Jon, Colby, the Fatu twins and his sister Alma knew about Sasha and he planned to keep it as low-key as possible, at least until they were official. However, he didn't really have a problem letting Trinity in on it as well, since she was also a part of his inner circle. "We're not together," he corrected, stealing a carrot off the plate she had brought with her. "Not yet anyway."

"At least that explains why you've been smiling so much lately," she teased. "Have you got a picture? I wanna see."

He showed her the photo he used as her caller I.D. Trinity grinned. "Wow! She's gorgeous."

"Hell yeah. She's a MILF," Jonny informed her, shooting Joe an impressed look, but it quickly faltered underneath his fiancée's scowl. "I didn't say I was _actually_ going to! Joe would break my ass in two anyway."

"Damn right," Joe confirmed, squaring his eyes at his cousin.

"So when are _we_ going to meet her? Sasha, right?" asked Trinity. "Don't hide her from us, Joe."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not hiding her. I just don't want you Divas scaring her away."

"Oh, you're being dramatic. We're not that bad. We're nice girls. Aren't we, babe?"

Jonny made an innocent face as he munched on his trail mix. "Sorry my man, I'm looking to get laid tonight so my answer is absolutely."

Joe smirked. "Of course."

Trinity watched the bigger man with a smile. There actually was a positive change in him, now that she thought about it. Even with his career's building momentum and shouldering the pressure that came with it, he seemed happier, more relaxed. "It's nice to know at least you're finally moving on from that crap with Andrea," she remarked. "Took you damn long enough, to be honest."

Jonny stopped chewing. Tensing slightly, Joe arched a brow. "Who said I'm just moving on now?"

The Diva gave him a skeptical look. "Sleeping around is not moving on. You haven't had a real relationship since Andrea because you haven't forgotten about what she did. You don't trust us girls anymore and after what went down, I don't blame you." She'd borne witness to that tempestuous chapter in Joe's life, and did not wish it on her worst enemy. "But if Sasha's changing that, then I'm glad." Her attention was diverted when Natalya strolled into Catering. "We'll carry on with this conversation later, Joe. Nattie!" She left the table, earning a chuckle from the Samoans. Knowing the women, Trinity wouldn't be seen for at least another hour.

Jonny leaned closer to his cousin. "Sorry man, I had to tell Trin you found someone," he said. "She was planning on settin' you up with a friend of hers. I met the chick and let's just say you've dodged a bullet."

Joe cringed at the thought. "Good to know. Thanks."

"Don't mention it." Jonny turned his trail mix bag upside down and emptied the rest of the contents into his mouth. "She's right though, uce. You're happier and we can tell. Just try not to put so much pressure on yourself this time, alright?"

It was solid advice. Because the last time he did, it led to a betrayal that had devastated him beyond recognition. He still hadn't fully recovered, as he realized when Trinity had mentioned her name and his stomach had dropped, like it always did. Telling Sasha was too soon. It was still painful thinking about it, let alone saying it out loud. By telling her, he would risk making her think he was pursuing a relationship with her for the wrong reasons. But he wasn't. She was different. Everything about her was different from the last woman he cared this much for, and he was going to prove it for as long as she let him. From his own end, it was a matter of _when_, and not if, he would get to that bridge, and when he did, he would cross it. He owed Sasha that much.

More importantly, he owed himself that much.

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_**Phew!**_

_**Some new names in the plot. Thoughts?**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Aw, you guys. Your feedback is so awesome. I love reading every one of them, and I love that you guys think this story is realistic. That's a huge compliment, seeing as I got the idea of this story simply from reading a lot of novels, watching a lot of movies and reading an article about Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade's relationship. Lol. Thank you guys, honestly.**_

_**Big thanks to **__too much drama 1225, ChelleLew, CFierce116, Ctina, benova13, clarembees, wwefanatic365, nikki1335, Tammy, justkimmy, Pinayprincesa, DeeMarie426, princessreigns, IRENELOVE83, broguekicking__** and **__Olivia Reigns__** for reviewing.**_

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The days passed surprisingly quickly and before Joe knew it, he was back in Florida. They had the house show in Tampa and a couple of days off before they were back on the road. He was delighted when Sasha agreed to come to the show, and she was bringing T.K. and Mia along. He couldn't wait to see her; he missed her every day of the three weeks he was gone for.

Sasha was excited, more because she was seeing Joe again after three weeks than anything. She was buzzing, but not as much as T.K. as it turned out. She'd told him about the show three days prior and he'd spent every single moment talking about it - what he was going to do, what he was going to wear...She couldn't remember the last time he'd been this enthusiastic about anything. It was the same with Mia. All she cared about was seeing John Cena and Daniel Bryan live in action. Sasha wished Pam could come along, but she had a date. Sasha came home from work, and at about four the afternoon she got ready for the night. After a quick shower and putting on her makeup, she got dressed in a graphic Skillet t-shirt and tucked it into a pair of faded skinny jeans. She put on a pair of wedges and threw on her black jacket, tying her hair back in a ponytail. T.K. was decked out in a sleeveless 'Team Bring It' shirt while Mia had her trusty Shield sweater on.

The three of them left home two hours early since it would take them an hour to get to the arena by bus. Luckily there wasn't much traffic on the way. Once they arrived at the arena she called Joe, and he asked her to meet him at the parking garage to give them their tickets. They were standing by the entrance when Sasha heard Colby's voice floating down the garage. He and Joe were walking up from the opposite direction. They were dressed in their Shield cargo pants and boots but had t-shirts on instead of their vests. In Sasha's eyes, Joe never failed to look amazing.

Joe couldn't stop smiling. Damn, was she a sight for sore eyes. "You made it." He wrapped his arms around her briefly and kissed her cheek, which she assumed was for the benefit of her kids. She was certain they would have done much more had they been alone.

"We did. Hi Colby."

"Hey Sasha." He hugged her. "I love your t-shirt. You like Skillet?"

"Yeah. They're great," she smiled, and Colby beamed. T.K. wrinkled his nose. "Ugh, really? Mom's got the music tastes of a fourteen-year-old emo kid."

"How about you come over here and say that to my face, punk," Sasha threatened, prompting T.K. to duck out of her reach. "Colby, that twerp over there is T.K., and this is Mia." She watched with a smile when Colby bent down and enthusiastically hugged the thrilled eight-year-old. T.K. was composed as he shook Colby's hand but she could see the awestruck glint in her son's eyes.

Joe reached into his back pocket and handed T.K. three tickets. The teen glanced at them, his eyes widening. "Floor seats." He looked up and smiled. "Thanks."

"No problem," said Joe, glancing at his watch. "Look, we gotta head back inside. But we're gonna go grab some dinner after the show. Would you guys like to come?"

"I wanna go, Mama," Mia chirped, gazing at Colby as she bounced from foot to foot.

"Me too," said T.K., looking at Joe. The protective son was slowly giving way to the star-struck fan. "Is Ambrose coming too?"

"If he's not too tired, I think we can convince him." The Samoan turned his gaze to Sasha waiting for her answer. She shrugged. "It's not school night, so I guess we can go." She smiled at the two men. "We can't wait to see the show."

"We hope you enjoy it. I'll come get you guys afterwards," said Joe.

"Okay," said Sasha. "See you later, and have a good show, all three of you."

"Thanks. See you T.K., Mia," he said, before the two Superstars headed back the way they had come. Sasha led the kids out, taking a glance back and seeing Joe punch Colby's arm, the other man exaggerating his pain. Joe looked over his shoulder at her and gave her a big smile. Sasha grinned and fought the urge to fan herself. That smile…He was so good-looking. Tonight was definitely going to be fun. That's if she didn't have a heart attack from watching him get beat up first.

* * *

Colby intercepted Joe as he paced the locker room, clamping a hand down on his shoulder. "Dude, quit spazzing out. You're starting to look like Ambrose," he said, smirking when the man from Cincinnati flipped the bird from his spot on the couch. "She here yet?" Jon questioned, snatching a bottle of water off the table.

Colby nodded. "Yep, with the kids. You should see her son, man. He's as tall as I am."

"That why you're so nervous, Joe?" Jon smirked, watching the big man wring his taped wrists. "Scared your slick moves won't impress the kid?"

"Shut up, Jon," said Colby. "He was cool when we talked to him."

Pushing his hair out of his face, Joe forced himself to stop moving and defended himself. "I guess I'm just nervous because of Sasha. She's already antsy about what we do and we got a couple of big spots tonight. I don't want her to worry even more."

"You know there's nothing you can do about the bumps. It's just what it is," Jon shrugged. "She's here, and she's going to have to see it all up close. If the physicality of your job is enough reason for her to dump you, then it was never going to work with you two."

"But that's not going to happen, so chill, G.I. You'll be fine and so will she," Colby said, just as a PA showed up to usher them to the entrance of the arena.

* * *

So far, Sasha was enjoying herself. It was much better than watching it on TV. The fans were raucous all through the show. She had a lot of fun joining in on the 'Yes!' chants during Daniel Bryan's match. Midway through the show the Shield were up against Randy Orton, Sheamus and The Big Show. The crowd turned to look back when their theme music hit and they made their customary entrance through the fans, Colby in front and Jon in the middle, with Joe bringing up the rear. Sasha saw the focus in the Samoan's ash-colored eyes, clearly in his element as Roman Reigns. They happened to pass by her seat, and Joe made sure to brush her arm with his just before he scaled the barricade. Sasha felt the contact all the way to her bones.

The match was chaotic, and she'd almost chewed off all the skin on her thumb with worry. She felt faint when Colby leapt from the top rope with a big knee drop on Orton, who had just planted Jon's face into the canvas. The Big Show was beating up Joe on the outside, but he eventually got the upper hand by nailing a Superman punch and flinging the massive man against the steel steps. Climbing back up to his corner, he tagged Jon and charged at Orton, hitting him with a big spear and getting the pin for the victory. The trio retreated through the crowd again, and Sasha watched them disappear. She pulled out her phone to text Joe.

_Wow, that was an incredible match! R u ok?_

She was not expecting a quick reply but it came about a minute later. _I'm fine. Nothin I couldn't handle. Almost forgot to tell u. Security is comin to get u guys to meet us after the show. Don't panic._

_Ok I won't. C u soon._ _X_

They watched the rest of the show, and T.K. and Mia cheered throughout, absolutely loving it. As fans started to file out after it was over, a man wearing a black shirt with Event Staff written in front came up to them, and subtly, they followed him to the back, where a showered and changed Joe was waiting outside his locker room. "Hey guys," he smiled. "How was the show?"

"It was awesome!" said Mia. T.K. nodded in agreement. "It was great. You speared the crap outta Orton, man. That was brutal."

"The show was really good," Sasha said, smiling. "You were right. Live is way more fun."

"I'm glad you guys enjoyed it," said Joe, looking relieved. "Let me check if those two are ready." Knocking on the locker room door, he called out, "Hey, punks! Y'all ready to go?"

The door opened and Colby walked out first, followed by Jon, who gave Sasha a friendly hug. As Colby introduced his teammate to T.K. and Mia, Sasha inched closer to Joe, her hand closing around his in greeting. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand, placing a kiss on the top of her head. "So where are we going guys?" he asked.

"We're thinking that steak house nearby," said Colby, hoisting his bag over his shoulder. "They've got the best French fries among other things. That sound good, Mia?"

"Yeah," she answered, drifting towards him. Sasha was beginning to suspect her little girl was developing a crush on the two tone-haired Superstar and wasn't sure what to make of it.

The group made its way towards the Superstars' parking garage. Colby and Mia led the way, chatting animatedly, with T.K. and Jon walking side by side as they made conversation. Joe and Sasha trailed behind, their fingers linked. He glanced down at her, taking in how nice she looked. He liked her jeans and along with the wedges she was wearing, they were doing some very appealing things to her legs. "You look beautiful tonight," he spoke.

Sasha met his gaze with a shy smile. "Thanks," she replied, squeezing his hand, her heart rate accelerating when he drew her against him, tugging her arm around his waist, then wrapping his around her shoulders as they walked on. Reaching their rental six-seat vehicle, the guys stuffed their luggage into the trunk, and they all bundled themselves into the van and drove out of the arena.

* * *

Dinner was fun. The food was good and conversation flowed easily. T.K. sat in a booth between Colby and Jon and across from them Mia was between Sasha and Joe. The mother of two watched T.K. talk with Jon, the captivated expression on his face once again. Frankly, it was amusing to see. He always acted all fly and tough, especially around his boys. Also, there seemed to be no problems between him and Joe like she'd feared, which made her relax.

They remained in the restaurant long after they finished eating, only leaving when the manager politely alerted them that they needed to close up for the night. Joe would have personally driven Sasha and the kids back home but the hotel the guys were staying at wasn't nearby, and because it was so late the only option left was to call a cab. As they waited for it to show up, Colby and Jon lounged inside the van talking with the siblings while Joe and Sasha stood outside next to the vehicle. "That was fun," she said.

"I'm glad you had a good time." Joe rested his back against the car and drew her body to his, smiling when she leaned into him and her hands automatically wound around his neck. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips, which he'd been dying to do all day, and then another, relishing the feel of her soft hand on his face as they kissed. "I've missed you, beautiful," he whispered, thankful for this private time. He'd deliberately recruited Jon and Colb to keep the kids busy so he could have a private moment with Sasha. He wondered if she noticed.

She didn't think it was a coincidence that the other two wrestlers had her children conveniently occupied. But she was thankful for that. Secretly, she'd hoped for some alone time with Joe. "I missed you too," she answered, noting the look in his eyes, and as she was taken back to that amazing phone call, her face heated up. Damn. Her loins were moistening just thinking about it.

Joe noticed her coy expression and smirked, knowing exactly what she was thinking about. He'd thought about it too. A lot. "You're not gonna start going all shy on me now are you?" he asked, holding her closer.

Sasha smacked his hand when it started to creep lower down her body. Her kids were here. "No. But I should be hating you for reminding me about my dry spell."

"Dry spell? How long has it been for you?" Joe asked.

She blinked at the blatancy of the question. She wasn't quite used to how open and forward he was. "That's a pretty personal question."

"Maybe. But again, you could always tell me to mind my business." He didn't take his eyes off her, awaiting her answer. Or maybe she wouldn't give him one after all.

"Eight years."

His gut tightened and the blood pounded in his veins. "Eight years since you last had sex?"

"Um, yep. And maybe a year since, uh…our little activity on the phone." This was a _very_ interesting conversation to have while her children were nearby.

This newfound piece of information caused his groin to twitch. Eight years? Wow. Joe stroked her jaw with his thumb and whispered, "Well then, we're going to have to do something about that real soon." He couldn't get her moans out of his head, so he could only imagine what it would be like when he actually got his hands on her. _When_, not _if_. He was dead set on being the one to remind her body of everything it had been missing.

She smiled, but it looked somewhat sad. Joe frowned. "Was it something I said?"

"What do you mean?"

"Something's wrong. I can see it in your eyes."

Chuckling, Sasha shook her head. "You don't know me well enough to read my eyes, Joe."

"Maybe not, but that's the point of what we're doing, right? Getting to know each other?"

"Yeah," she agreed, sighing. "It's just been a long day. I'm okay, I promise."

Joe nodded. "Good. 'Cause what I said about doing something about your dry spell?" He looked her right in the eyes. "I'm not taking it back. I meant every word."

Blushing profusely, Sasha felt her knees weaken at his confident tone. Hot damn. It really was mind-blowing, and rather exciting, to see how determined he was to bed her. At this rate, the next time he asked, she wouldn't be so hesitant anymore.

"Let me take you out tomorrow," he told her, "I'd like to spend more time with you."

"Okay." She took in his heavy-eyed features and was sure she looked the same way. Pressing her lips to his bearded chin, she said, "You're tired. Get some sleep tonight, alright?"

"I'll try." He glanced past her and sighed. "Your ride is here."

Sasha smiled at him. "You sound disappointed."

"I am, because it means you got to go. But I'll be seeing you again soon, so that's a good thing." He smiled back, and the mother of two felt her heart flutter again.

The cab pulled up in front of the restaurant, bringing their night to an end, which was probably a good thing as Mia was out on her feet. Ensuring that she and T.K. were inside the car, Sasha hugged Jon and Colby and thanked them then gave Joe a quick kiss goodnight. On their way home, with a sleeping Mia in her arms, she couldn't stop smiling as she thought about the handsome Samoan slowly but surely creeping into her life, as well as some other more intimate parts of her.

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_**The next chapter is almost ready guys. Reviews (top to bottom, of course :D) might just speed up the updating process.**_

_**Drama is coming soon…**_


	15. Chapter 15

_**Thanks to all the follows and favorites, and special shout-out to **__CFierce116, Guest, nikki1335, Tammy, clarembees, wwefanatic365, SailingSoul, DeeMarie426, too much drama 1225, Olivia Reigns, IRENELOVE83, benova13, Shield316, justkimmy, broguekicking__** and **__CaribbeanTrinidadian__** for reviewing!**_

_**Special update to celebrate our boy's birthday today! Gosh he's just two years older than me. I feel like I've done nothing with my life, lol. Anyway, enjoy ;)**_

_**Song choice for this chapter: 'Don't Let Go' by En Vogue.**_

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Sasha walked up to the entrance of the gym Joe had mentioned in his text message. Going past the front desk, she stepped into the artificially cool air scented with sharp-smelling cleansers and musky sweat. Music pounded from speakers hidden behind rows of gleaming machines. She glanced around, taking it all in. Pam's gym was definitely no match for this juggernaut. T.K. would have loved to exercise in a place like this. There were a number of people sprinkled here and there, working out. Some women were jogging on the treadmills, all of them thin and tanned and toned. Sasha noticed their heads were twisted in the same direction, staring intently at something she couldn't see. Curious, she followed their gaze, stopping at the glorious sight in the huge free-weight area.

Joe. Doing pull-ups on a high bar. In nothing but shorts and sneakers.

Sasha's mouth dried, and she had to wet her lips. She knew his muscles were impressive, but seeing them all up close was a whole other spectacle. His back was massive, with large muscles in his arms, shoulders and upper back tensing with each move he made. The tribal tattoo on his olive skin wrapped around his right bicep and shoulder. His waist narrowed into the band of his black shorts. He had his long legs bent, and clamped between his ankles was a heavy weight as he pumped out flawless pull-ups.

Hot damn, he looked so good. No wonder every woman in the gym was watching him. Sasha couldn't tear her eyes away either.

And she didn't have to, because his gaze tracked her in the mirror in front of him. Slowly he lowered himself, released the weight from his ankles and hit the ground. Sweat glistened on his body, coursing down his defined contours as he prowled towards her, and she felt an animalistic urge to go right up to him and lick off every drop…

Gosh, when did her thoughts become this wayward?

Joe's mouth met hers in a quick kiss. "Hey, beautiful. Let me go take a quick shower and we can get out of here."

"You can shower at your place," Sasha said quickly, wanting him all to herself and away from the ogling harpies. "And after that we can stay in for a bit. We don't have to go out right away."

Looking at her for a moment, he shrugged, unfazed by the change in plans. "Alright. Let me go grab my stuff."

He left and returned with his bag and had put a shirt on. Hand in hand, they walked out together. She could feel the death glares the cardio women were sending her way, and she smirked to herself.

_Damn right, chickenheads. He's mine._

* * *

"There's granola bars everywhere," Sasha commented, eyeing up Joe's pantry. "What are you selling them or somethin'?"

"They're great. Colby gave me one to try and a week later I had a whole box delivered." Joe stood in front of the TV flipping channels. "Wanna watch something?"

"Whatcha got?"

"Just DVR'd episodes of The Walking Dead and a couple of DVDs."

Grabbing a bowl of grapes, she joined him in the living room and plopped down on the sofa. "Ugh, I watched a Walking Dead episode once, it made me queasy."

"Let me guess, you like Scandal." Joe smirked when Sasha arched a brow in response. "Every woman I know likes Scandal. The Divas are always yappin' about it at work."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, it's the show that fools black women into thinking they have a chance at screwing the white President of the United States. What's not to like?" She scooted over so that Joe could join her on the sofa and popped a grape into his mouth. He continued to flip channels until they found something they both agreed on.

They snuggled against each other, watching the movie in a charged silence. Joe's arm was around her, and she in turn kept her hand on his chest and her head on his shoulder. Her heart thumped a little faster when his hand crept underneath her shirt, tracing the skin on her waist with his finger. Her eyes were on the TV but there was an internal battle going on inside her. Seeing him working out, all those women in the gym watching him, lusting after him, his freshly showered scent...all of that combined made her ache for him. Fighting off the feelings, she snuggled closer to him and forced herself to concentrate on the movie. He was probably still tired from his workout anyway.

"You're biting your lip," Joe spoke in her ear, his warm breath fanning over her cheek. "You know what that does to me, baby girl."

She turned to him and was drawn in by the raw hunger in his eyes. And right there, all the self-control she had bravely mustered up unraveled in a pool of lust. Closing the very short distance between their faces, she claimed his mouth greedily, putting them out of their miseries. The look on the Samoan's face when she briefly pulled back was worth her making the first move. She turned her body towards him and cupped his face in her hands while his fingers tangled in her hair, pulling their bodies closer. The movie rolled on, completely ignored by the couple locked in a passionate embrace.

Sasha yelped in surprise when Joe grabbed her waist and yanked her to straddle his lap, keeping her mouth fused to his. They kissed feverishly, urgently, their tongues tangling together. One hand lingered on her breast while the other skimmed down her back to squeeze her supple ass. It felt too good, his big hands all over her, his thick arousal branding her through their clothes. His kisses were intoxicating; the way he gave her top and bottom lips equal attention, the way his tongue navigated the insides of her mouth to taste her. Desire tugged at her inner thighs, leaving her hot and wet and ready faster than she could have ever imagined possible.

"Do you want to stop?" Joe murmured between heated kisses.

_Hell no. _Tears pricked her eyes at the thought. It had been way too long, not feeling this freedom, this intensity, this giving in to what her body ached for. "No. Don't stop. I want this." Marking his mouth with hers one more time, Sasha caressed his face and stared hard at him. "I want you."

At her words, his eyes dilated, and she swore she felt him shiver. Without a word, he wrapped his arms underneath her butt, stood up and headed upstairs. Blinded by lust, she peppered kisses along the side of his neck, jaw and ear. She hadn't been carried since she was in her teens and here he was throwing her around like she weighed nothing. It was quite the aphrodisiac.

Inside his bedroom, his mouth reclaimed hers as he backed her up against the door. His hands roamed the curves of her body, and she felt like a piece of clay in the hands of a very gifted potter. They glided over her breasts and down her sides, to her waist and her hips before snaking behind to squeeze her butt, pulling her even tighter against him. Sasha felt dizzy. She'd never been frisked so erotically, or kissed so thoroughly before. Their actions weren't pretty or smooth but she didn't care. It was frantic and fumbling as they both tried to touch everything they could all at once.

Eventually they pulled up for air, and she took in his flushed face, kiss-swollen lips, those mesmerizing grey eyes of his. She cupped his sculpted cheek, and Joe shut his eyes at her touch, pressing a breathless kiss to her palm and turning her insides to liquid. He tugged her shirt over her head, and she helped him out of his. Seeing him shirtless would never get old. Every defined muscle on his body was like a work of art. That was the only observation she could make before the Samoan sealed her lips in another mind-blowing kiss.

Tugging the rest of each other's clothes, they shuffled towards the king-size bed. She wanted to warn him before he could unwrap the whole package – to inform him about the stretch marks streaking the slight pudginess of her lower belly, apologize for the damage breast-feeding and ill-fitting bras had wreaked on her not-so-perky breasts. No man had seen her naked in years, and there was a moment's hesitation, a rising panic in her chest. Maybe she'd gone too far with this little fantasy of hers. She couldn't possibly be attractive enough or sexy enough for a man as attractive and sexy as Joe Anoa'i.

But as she lay among the soft sheets and pillows in nothing but her panties and watched him follow her into the bed, lust shining in his grey irises, the doubts dissipated. Then he kissed her. Deeply. Slowly. From her lips to her chin, along the column of her throat and down to her breasts. He took one nipple in his mouth, and the flick of his hot tongue shot shivers up her spine. She weaved her fingers through his long hair, arching as he licked and sucked and nibbled. He massaged her other breast, the pad of his thumb teasing the hardened nipple. He alternated, humming his appreciation, and Sasha forgot to feel anything other than sexy.

Joe's lips traveled again, trailing wet kisses down her stomach and hips, and then her legs, taking his time caressing and kissing every inch of her skin. He slowly peeled her panties off, dragging his fingers along her dark skin as he did so. Sasha thanked God she'd worn better-looking underwear today. Taking her legs, Joe guided them over his broad shoulders, his mouth watering as he inhaled the scent of her arousal. Sasha tensed instantly. Pam had suggested that she cleaned up down there, and though she was ultimately glad she took her advice, it didn't stop her from feeling self-conscious.

Joe met Sasha's panicked gaze and understood. Brushing his lips against her inner thigh, he said, "Relax, baby. I got you." He kissed along her thigh, and Sasha squirmed as his breath wafted over her entrance. He slid his arms underneath her body and felt her twitch at the first contact of his warm tongue, felt her hand find its way back into his hair. He held her still, sliding his tongue slowly, tantalizingly, over her moist folds. He wanted to show her how much he desired her, how beautiful he thought she was, how much he wanted to bury every inch of himself between her delicious-looking thighs. And he was determined to deliver.

Sasha gasped audibly, her grip on his hair tightening as he feasted on her. Goddamn. His lips, his tongue. She was never really fond of getting head but he was changing her mind right now. He was spectacular. He knew exactly what he was doing; where to put his lips, how to use his tongue; fast and frantic one moment, slow and gentle the next. She tried to recoup her senses, but they were in a tailspin thanks to all this pleasure surging through her body.

Joe cut his eyes to her face and smirked at the sight of her watching him, her full lips parted and panting her pleasure. He licked and sucked her folds, tasting as much of her as he could, reveling in the sensual sounds that came out of her mouth. He went a step further by sliding two fingers deep into her. Tremor after tremor zipped up Sasha's spine, causing her to throw her head back and moan loudly. He was ravenous, spanning her legs wider, lapping up her essence while his fingers drove in and out of her in an electrifying rhythm. His other hand slid up to knead her breast. She squeezed her eyes shut as ecstasy glided nearer. "Oh fuck, fuck, baby…"

Joe could feel her getting close, her walls squeezing around his fingers. He didn't slow down. "Let go, Sasha. Come for me."

One more swipe of his tongue, one last thrust of his long digits had her entire body detonating, as though a grenade had gone off inside her. Ecstasy washed away all coherent thought and left her breathless. Fuck. She hadn't felt like this in a _long_ time. With a faint cry, she sank back against the bed, casting heavy-lidded eyes at Joe as he licked his fingers. Licked _her_. And damn if it wasn't the most erotic thing she had ever seen.

"I was right," he commented with a smirk, "you taste delicious."

As he retrieved a condom and put it on, Sasha's stomach lurched with anticipation, licking her lips at the sight of the heat he was packing. There was no turning back now. Not that she would. They met each other's gaze, and Sasha loved what she saw in his. That she could evoke such emotions out of him was frankly an ego boost, among other things. Her hands traced his muscled chest and abs and she leaned up to swirl her tongue over his nipple. Groaning, Joe brought her face back to his, easing her back down to the bed as they kissed. The taste of her on his lips generated more heat in her still-sensitive loins. She reached down between their bodies, grasped his length and began to stroke him. He was thick and veiny and mouth-watering. Growling under his breath, he thrust against her hand briefly before drawing it away so he could guide himself inside her. They continued to kiss, their moans mingling when their bodies joined. The Samoan remained still for a couple of seconds, letting her body adjust to him. He gritted his teeth as her tight, moist warmth enveloped him. He started to move, slowly, steadily, drawing soft gasps from Sasha. "Fuck," she breathed. Damn he was big. "_Fuck, _Joe…"

"You like that, baby?" Joe nipped her bottom lip, watching her every reaction as he maintained his maddeningly slow pace, her ass firmly in his large grasp. Sasha was about to lose her mind. "Joe, please…please."

"Yes, baby? What do you want?" He churned his hips again, causing her eyes to roll back. His hair was loose and cascaded over them both like a curtain. "Talk to me, baby girl. Tell me what you want."

Her legs tightened around him. She couldn't handle this restraint. Not after an eight-year wait. "Fuck me, handsome. Don't hold back. Please."

That was all he needed to hear. He picked up speed, their moans filling the bedroom as he pumped into her. She was tight and unbelievably wet, and the friction was driving him insane. A harsh groan left his lips when she dug her nails into the firm skin of his ass. "Fuck, baby girl." Pain and pleasure rippled through him, and Joe buried his face in her neck, his hips rocking a little faster on instinct. She felt so fucking good. He was lost inside her, lost in her touch, in the sounds he was drawing out of her, his body craving more of her. He'd fallen into a deep well and he knew right away that he would never come back out.

"Shit," Sasha whimpered, overwhelmed by the feel of his hardness driving in and out of her, and her hands gripped and tugged and caressed him. "Fuck Joe, yes, don't stop…Joe…"

The sound of his name rolling off her lips unleashed something feral within him. His long hair flew as his head snapped back, his eyes glittering dangerously. Bracing his massive arms on either side of her, his movements became harsher, faster, his balls smacking against her ass. Sasha cried out, her head rearing back as her body accepted his relentless thrusts. Joe saw her bottom lip disappear beneath her teeth and pried her mouth back open with his tongue, kissing her so hard her head spun. She whined into his mouth, her heels braced against the small of his back. Her fingernails raked his shoulder blades, and the blood roared in her ears as the already unbearable heat inside her intensified.

His teeth grazed her neck, followed closely by his tongue. The orgasm that tore through Sasha was even more mind-blowing than the first; an extraordinary unraveling of nerves that curled her toes and had her crying out his name. Her walls clenched him hard, eliciting curses from both their lips. Joe's biceps flexed, his cock swelled bigger, harder as he plunged into her. With one last deep thrust, he came hard, groaning into her shoulder. Indescribable pleasure jolted his bones, nearly paralyzing him. His arms gave out and he collapsed on top of her, panting harshly. Sasha welcomed his heavy, warm weight and smoothed a hand over his slick back, a sated feeling settling in her body. Opening her eyes, she noticed the room had darkened considerably, and it was then she heard the rush of rainfall. Their eyes met, and they broke into quiet laughter. "Wow," Sasha whispered.

"Yeah," Joe answered, brushing her hair back. "You okay?"

_More than okay._ "I'm great," she told him, just as he gave her a soft kiss that she accepted gladly. He rolled onto his back with a tired grunt, taking her with him. She rested her head in the hollow of his neck, inhaling his scent, enjoying the rapid pulse of his heartbeat and his hand stroking her hair. Words could not describe just how amazing that was.

"You still up for going out?" he asked.

She looked at him, reaching up to brush his long locks away from his face. "It's raining. And honestly, I'd rather stay here with you."

"Sounds good to me," Joe smiled, tugging her in for a long, lingering kiss.

* * *

_**I would light a cigar but I don't smoke. ;)**_

_**Kindly check out my ongoing story, Hounds Undone. Feedback will be welcome. :D**_

_**And now, I await your reviews. As Sasha said, don't hold back. ;)**_


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: For a while I thought it was Ron Simmons reviewing the last chapter with so many Damn's! LOL. Glad you all liked it. About time 'Jasha' got it on, if you asked me.**_

_**Big hugs to **__Bharm, justkimmy, broguekicking, too much drama 1225, clarembees, wwefanatic365, Tammy, CFierce116, Alexis Black-Reigns, princessreigns, ChelleLew, DeeMarie426, IRENELOVE83, Guest (hi Sasha!) benova13, Olivia Reigns, Shield316, nikki1335, China, AyannaCosta __**and**__ Ortongirl1993.__** You guys have made this story wayyyy bigger than it was ever imagined to be, and I thank you.**_

* * *

"Mama, come on!"

"No, Ty. You're not going."

"But mom it's the biggest party in school!" exclaimed T.K. "I have to be there. Everyone _expects_ me to be there."

Rolling her eyes, Sasha sifted through the mail piled on the kitchen table. "I'm sure they do, Mr. Basketball Star, but my answer is still no."

"What am I going to tell Chanel? It's her party and she personally invited me."

Ah, Chanel. The pretty, shallow little floozy that her son was crushing on. She didn't quite know what he saw in her. Sasha knew she was cramping her son's style but she had her reasons. "She is friends with Lamar, isn't she? I'm guessing he's going to be there too?"

"Mama, don't do that. You've already told me to stay away from him-"

"Exactly. And I'm just making sure you do."

"I ain't gonna do nothin' with him. It's just a party mom, nothing's gonna happen. I don't drink or do any of that stuff. Come on," he whined, "Joe takes you out all the time so why can't I go out?"

At the mention of his name, the tension between them mounted as Sasha glared up at the teenager. "First of all, do not bring him into this. Second, I've never had a problem with you going out. I just don't like that Lamar will be there."

What did he have to do to make her say yes? "Mama, don't you trust me?" T.K. asked.

"I never said I don't trust you. I just don't trust this crowd. Lamar and co. They're not good for you, baby."

The teen wracked his brain, desperate to get her to see things his way. He couldn't _not_ be at the party tonight. It would totally put a dent on his reputation. "Mama…nothing's going to happen," he promised. "sI won't do anything you don't want me to do. If it makes you feel any better you can call me. I'll come home whenever you want. I promise." He gave her those puppy dog eyes again, the ones that never failed him. To his surprise however, it didn't work this time, as Sasha crossed her arms, her expression unwavering. Letting out an exasperated growl, he said, "Come on Ma, you're being unfair! I'm seventeen, why are you treating me like a kid?"

"Because you are _my _kid," Sasha retorted, staring him down. "And I don't give a damn if you're a hundred years old. As long as you're living under my roof, it's my rules!"

T.K. scowled at her, thoroughly pissed. His mood for the whole day had just been ruined. "Whatever." Turning on his heel, he stormed out of the apartment to catch the bus, not bothering to kiss his mother's cheek like he always did.

"Tyson!" she called, but he'd already slammed the door shut. "Dammit." Slumping back down in her seat, she massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming. She didn't mean to snap at T.K. but she was stressed. The bills were piling up. The rent was overdue and the electricity was going to be cut off soon. She was going to have to ask Reggie for more double shifts. Right now she would give anything for a vacation, somewhere far away from all her problems. Too bad she couldn't afford to go anywhere.

The sound of her phone ringing startled her. Seeing Joe's I.D. meant he must have landed. "Hey," she said, wondering if she sounded as tired as she felt. "How was your flight?"

"Long," Joe grumbled. "Got home an hour ago. Haven't moved from my bed since I climbed in."

"All part of the grind, handsome," she reminded him. The two of them had been "together" for a little over six weeks now, and another fortnight had gone by without seeing the other. She knew it was the nature of the beast that was his job, but she always felt like she barely had time to enjoy him before he zoomed off again. Sadly their first time in bed had been cut short because he had to travel the next morning, and for the first time since this thing started, Sasha truly believed she would never hear from him again. After all, he'd gotten what he wanted by sleeping with her, right? But when he sent a text telling her what he was up to and that he missed her, and followed it up by sending her flowers at work, she was floored. She was slowly running out of excuses to doubt him. They were yet to label whatever this was, but maybe they didn't need to just yet. She figured the lack of pressure was what made things so relaxed between them. "I'll let you get some rest. Maybe we could meet up tomorrow, if you want."

"I was thinking, a little earlier than that," said Joe. "I know this is last-minute, but do you wanna come out with me tonight? My friend Trinity is having a little get-together and she insists we be there. She wants to meet you."

Sasha chuckled wryly. "Well isn't that ironic."

"What is?"

The mother of two sighed. "I just got into an argument with T.K. over some party he wants to go to. I told him no and he walked out on me."

"Why don't you want him to go?" asked Joe.

"It's not a very good crowd," she explained. "He's got a friend that dropped out of high school and became a…dealer." She might as well tell the truth. "He's probably going to be there too, apparently the party's a huge deal or something. I didn't say no to be mean, I'm just worried, ya know?"

A couple of seconds passed before Joe responded. "It's not my place to tell you what to do but I think you should trust him," he said. "He's going to make mistakes and is old enough to learn from them."

"In this neighborhood, making a mistake could get you a bullet in the head."

"I think he's smarter and more careful than that," said Joe. "Don't get me wrong, if you really feel he shouldn't go to this party, then don't let him. But personally, I think he should. And I'm not just saying that so you can come out with me tonight."

"Of course not," she chuckled. "How do you know all this stuff?"

"Nieces, nephews, remember? Plus I was once in T.K.'s shoes."

Sasha smiled. "Good point. What time's your party?"

"It starts at seven, but I could come pick you up at eight. That good?"

"Eight's good."

"Alright. See you then. And good luck with T.K." There was a teasing tone to his voice.

"Thanks. I think I'm going to need it." With that, Sasha went about her day, starting with the Grill. In the afternoon she got a text from T.K. apologizing for his outburst earlier in the morning. That was enough to turn her to mush, and she reluctantly granted him permission to attend Chanel's party, but only on the premise that he was home by eleven. His reply, inundated with thank you's, mwahs and I love you's, made her laugh. Back at home, her outfit for her night out with Joe consisted of a green sleeveless tiered top and black leggings, accompanying the ensemble with black strappy sandals. Selfishly, she wished they were spending time alone, but hopefully they would still find time for that later.

When Joe showed up at hers a little after eight, Sasha's mouth watered as she looked him over. He really should wear Polo shirts more often. "Is it me or do you look hotter every time I see you?" she asked, winding her arms around his neck.

"I should be asking you the same thing, beautiful." He pecked her lips softly, sighing contentedly at her warm lips meeting his own. Finally. She was all he could think about since she left his bed two weeks ago. If the phone sex had driven him crazy, the real thing had nearly killed him. He'd tasted her, felt her, and it only made him want her more. "You know what?" he murmured, sneaking his hands down to her ass, "Maybe we should skip the party."

Laughing, Sasha swatted him away. "Down, boy. This was your idea so we're going. But who knows?" She leaned up to nibble his ear. "Maybe if the party goes well, we could have a welcoming party of our own later, big boy."

Growling under his breath, he kissed her again. "We better get going then."

* * *

Standing outside the house with Joe, Sasha came face to face with a pretty, dark-skinned girl with the longest false lashes she'd ever seen. "Hey, Joe," she greeted. "Thought you weren't going to show up."

"I told you I would," Joe said, bringing an arm around Sasha's waist. "Trin, this is Sasha. Sasha, this is Trinity."

Trinity smiled widely at Sasha, pulling her into a hug that the older woman didn't expect. "Hi! I've heard so much about you."

The sentiment was mutual. According to Joe, Trinity was one of his best friends. Trinity led them inside the house, and Sasha couldn't help but give the younger woman a quick once over, envying her insanely gorgeous body. To their right, a number of people were in the living room, sitting around talking and laughing. Sasha recognized most of them from WWE TV. Some turned their heads, curious gazes fixed on Sasha. She kept close to Joe as they followed Trinity into the kitchen, where a pair of freakishly identical twins stood talking. They had to be Jon and Josh, Joe's twin cousins that he always talked about. They each man-hugged Joe and gave Sasha a big hug before Trinity whisked her away. "So Sasha, how about we go have a little chat?"

"Hey, be careful now," Joe said to Trinity, who merely shooed him away. "Oh, relax ya big brute. It's just girl talk." She steered her away to the living room where she introduced her to everyone as Joe's friend. Thankfully. They settled down on a sofa, and the older woman noticed a few other ladies walk over. Trinity was bubbly and engaging and made Sasha feel at ease. Her Diva girlfriends weren't so bad either, at least not immediately.

"So Sasha, how did you and Joe meet?" the one she came to know as Ariane asked as she crossed her legs.

"At a grocery store," said Sasha. "We bumped into each other but went our separate ways. We met again later at the Bar I work at. He gave me his number, we went out, and it just went on from there."

"Aw, that's so cute," Victoria, known in WWE as Alicia Fox said, although she didn't sound very sincere to Sasha. "So you're like his girlfriend?"

At that moment Sasha caught sight of Joe watching her. She raised her drink at him, letting him know she was okay so far. "We haven't exactly put a label on it," she said.

"Well, you better hurry, girl," said Ariane, "There's a lot of girls waiting to snap him up. Especially when we're on the road as often as we are."

Though Sasha knew that already, it did nothing to quell the fears she already harbored. "How do you guys handle the long distance relationship thing?"

"It's difficult," said Trinity, "Jon and I were apart for a long time before I eventually joined the WWE. We saw each other only a couple of days in a month but we got through it. I think you and Joe will be fine. He really cares about you." She smiled at Sasha, which she returned.

Looking around the living room, Sasha noticed two women sitting a few feet away. One of them looked like a gallon of ketchup had been poured on her head. Sasha looked closely at the blonde beside her and realized where she'd seen her before. Perky supermodel from Joe's phone. Danielle. Danielle was staring openly at Joe as he sat talking with one of the twins. The redhead saw Sasha watching Danielle and nudged her, pointing at Sasha. Danielle met Sasha's eyes and the smile on her face was replaced by a look of disdain. Sasha felt her blood boil when the redhead whispered in her ear and the two burst out laughing. She looked away and forced herself to focus on what Trinity was saying.

* * *

"So your girl Sasha's pretty hot." A deep voice interrupted the conversation Joe and Josh Fatu were having. Ryan Reeves took a swig of his beer. "You hit that yet?"

Joe turned fully towards him, his eyes narrowed dangerously. He and Ryan used to be close, but he stepped away when he realized the bigger man's penchant for shit stirring. "What's it to you?" he demanded.

The man known as Ryback smirked, revealing his crooked teeth. "You have, haven't you? Nice one, my man. Good to know you haven't lost your touch." He took a swig of his drink, oblivious to the glare the Samoan shot his way.

"Dude, don't be a dick," said Josh.

"I'm just sayin', man," Ryan said defensively. "Is it true she has kids? How the hell do you put up with that?"

"She does? That sucks." Aaron Haddad, whose ring name was Damien Sandow, decided to put in his two cents. He was another person Joe only tolerated for professional purposes. "Here you are, at her place, about to hit third base and those brats decide to show up and cock-block," he ranted. "I dated a mom once and never did it again. That shit was not fun."

"Shut up, man. Joe told me about her kids, they're cool," Josh said in defense of his cousin, but Joe wished the Uso twin hadn't said anything. Let the men stew in their ignorance.

Aaron chuckled snidely. "They're cool _now_," he retorted. "Wait till they stop being nice and start taking advantage of you because of who you are. Either that or they want to start calling you daddy. That's what happened with me and I hightailed it outta there." He raised his beer in a toast to Joe. "You're a better man than I am, Anoa'i. Good luck."

Josh frowned at his colleagues, shaking his head. "Man, y'all are assholes."

Joe stood up abruptly. "I'm going to get another drink," he murmured, walking away before he did something violent.

Sasha sat there listlessly, the novelty of meeting the WWE Divas having worn off a long time ago. The women had reverted to gossiping and mindless drivel, and she was painfully reminded of how different she was from them. From their ages to their priorities, she felt out of place. It didn't help she was still getting dirty looks from the two harpies over in the corner. Joe seemed to be enjoying himself however, and though she didn't want to ruin his fun, she regretted coming to the party.

Trinity placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay, Sasha? Enjoying the party?"

"Yeah," she lied. "Could I use the restroom?"

Trinity gave her directions and she took off, craving privacy. She locked herself inside, looking in the mirror and taking several deep breaths. _Give Joe fifteen more minutes, then you can ask to leave. Just fifteen._

She washed her hands and walked back out only to be stopped by two figures blocking her path. It was Danielle and her redheaded sidekick. Maybe they had finally garnered the balls to say what they'd been holding inside all night to her face. "Um, the bathroom's free now," she said.

The redhead crossed her arms. "We don't need the bathroom. We just wanted to introduce ourselves." She smiled. "I'm Natalie and I wrestle as Eva Marie. My friend over here is Danielle, also known as Summer Rae."

"Hi." That they expected that to mean something to her was cute and pitiful at the same time.

"So you're Joe's girlfriend," Natalie said, looking the mother of two up and down. "You're kinda cute. Not the type we thought he'd go for considering you're a little too old for him, but cute nonetheless."

Oh. This was how it was going to be, huh? "Thank you. Anything else?"

Danielle looked around her, then leaned in closer, as if about to divulge a secret. "Look…I know we don't really know each other, but we felt the need to give you a little heads up about Joe. Because you're new and don't know him all that well and no one will have the guts to tell you. You see, Joe isn't exactly one for commitment, just in case you're looking to pin him down. He hasn't dated anyone for a long time because he prefers to sleep around, know what I mean? He's just not that kind of guy."

"He really isn't," said Natalie, her face awash with contrived sympathy. "He gets bored easily, and I don't think he'll be any different with you. I mean, his last girlfriend Andrea was younger and hotter than you and he still cheated on her."

Sasha's blood went cold.

"I know, right?" said Danielle. "It was quite sad, really. They were together for a long time too. I mean, if he could do that to her, what chance have you really got? Sadly, Joe's too much of a sweetheart to tell you the truth, so we thought you had to know before you got hurt. Someone has to look out for you, you know?"

Sasha stood there, her hands on her hips. No doubt they were waiting for her to get in their faces and tear shit up, and boy did she want to. She wanted to reach out and rip the tracks right off their pretty little heads. Heck, years ago she would have done that and worse. She didn't get physical anymore but that never stopped her from tongue-lashing a bitch. "You said you're wrestlers, right?" she questioned, gesturing between them. "For WWE or another company? Because I watch the shows regularly and I don't quite remember either of you. But thanks for introducing yourselves. Maybe it will help me next time I watch."

The look of anger on their faces was enough for her. Dazzling them with a sugary sweet smile, she left them standing there. Inside, however, she was seething. She wasn't spending another second here. She would thank Trinity for inviting her and be on her way. She didn't have time for this shit. If she wanted to interact with bitchy little girls she'd have hung out with Amber's friends. She was done.

She found Joe in the kitchen. "I don't feel well. I'm going home."

Joe dropped the bottle of beer he was holding. "Alright, I'll take you home."

But Sasha warded him off. She couldn't bear to be near him right now. Not only after what she'd just heard but she could smell the alcohol on his breath. Did he forget he was driving? "I'll find my way home," she said, a little too curtly. "You've had a bit to drink anyway, and I don't wanna get in the way of your partying."

Her words were like a punch to the gut. "Baby girl, what's wrong?"

She didn't look at him. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, Joe. Goodnight."

She managed to find a cab to take her home. Sitting alone with nothing but her thoughts for company, Natalie and Danielle's words played in her head, two in particular sticking out:

Joe. Cheating.

The two women were being petty, no doubt, but why did she have a feeling there was some truth to their story? She should have asked Joe about it but she couldn't bring herself to. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next week, or maybe never. Her only concern right now was herself, and all she wanted was to return to the comfort and security of her home, where no one judged her or said spiteful things to her.

* * *

_**Uh oh. What are those two talking about? Is Sasha in the right or did she overreact? Top-to-bottoms, dearies!**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Thank you **__Bharm, justkimmy, Tammy, Pinayprincesa, IRENELOVE83, clarembees, ChelleLew, Alexis Black-Reigns, Slytherin Studios, nikki1335, AyannaCosta, broguekicking, Shield316, Savannah Webber, wwefanatic365, SoleFaith, DeeMarie426, Olivia Reigns, benova13, CFierce116 __**and **__princessreigns. __**Loved all your responses to Sasha's actions.**_

_**Enjoy 17!**_

* * *

The next morning was a quiet one. T.K. and Mia were in school and Pam came over to Sasha's. As they sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee, Pam eyed her best friend through the rim of the mug she was sipping from. "Okay, what's wrong?"

Sasha looked up from her untouched cup. "What?"

"You're not smiling today. You should be smiling all the time, honey. You finally tapped that fine ass."

Sasha actually looked worried. "Seriously. When did you become such a pervert?"

"I've always been one. You too if I remember, before you became all prim and proper. Anyway, what's the problem? He gave it to you good, right?"

"Oh yeah." No hesitation on that.

"So what gives?"

With a heavy sigh, Sasha told her about the party and what Danielle and Natalie had said about Joe, earning a frown from the petite woman. "Did you ask him about it?" she said.

"No. I pretty much bailed on him." Having thought back on her actions she concluded that she'd gone about the whole thing wrong. But still…

"Come on, babe. You too grown for this shit," Pam admonished her. "You should've talked to him instead of runnin' away from those hatin' ass bitches."

"What if it's true?" Her stomach clenched at the thought.

"What if it ain't?"

Covering her face in her hands, her voice was muffled. "You don't know what it's like. He's so fuckin' hot and he's famous and he gets a lot of female attention. Every time we go out there's women either throwing daggers at me with their eyes or mentally undressing him. I act like that shit don't freak me out but it does. Last night, girls I didn't know from Adam walked up to me and trashed me all because they saw me with him. And we're not even official. What's going to happen if _that_ happens? It's going to be worse."

"You'll cross that bridge when you get to it," said Pam. "Look, I don't know if the cheating thing is true or not. That _is_ a big deal. But those heffas only told you that shit because they want what you got. You a threat now, baby. You should be flattered."

"Flattered? Right," the mother snorted.

"Damn right. Some of the hottest girls on TV are threatened by you. Bask in it. You got good shit with Joe and they so jealous they wanna fuck it up."

"I think I'm doing that all on my own," Sasha lamented. She'd been afraid of this. Sure, it was nice to know she could actually still have fantastic sex and her lady bits hadn't yet shriveled up from lack of use. The downside was getting worked up by the emotions that surfaced afterwards, like they always did when she became intimate with a man. No-strings-attached sex was never her forte. "I told you I didn't know what the hell I was doing with this dating shit."

"You're doing fine. Talk to Joe. Listen to his side of the story first then make whatever decision you have to."

Sasha smiled. "You always know what to tell me."

"Yeah, I do. And at this rate I'm gonna start billing you soon." Pam took another sip of her coffee. "You still make the best coffee after all these years," she commented with a grin. "After my Mama of course."

"She made the best everything," said Sasha. The two women regarded each other contemplatively, silently sharing a moment. "I miss her."

Pam gave a watery smile. "I miss her too."

Sasha stood up from her seat. "I'm gonna go take a shower, I stink. Take the cup with you if you want."

"Hey," said Pam. "Before you go, thought you might need this, so I was kind enough to get some for you." She withdrew something from her handbag and held it up.

Sasha's face flushed as she eyed the item. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Birth control pills? Yes. Something tells me you ain't seen the last of that boy." At the look on her friend's face, Pam raised her palms in surrender. "Hey, I'm just lookin' out for my girl, is all I'm tryna do," she defended, smirking.

Shaking her head with a smile, Sasha took the packet from Pam. "Appreciate it." They exchanged kisses on the cheek before she walked towards her bedroom. "Love you."

"Love you too, babe."

* * *

Joe was nervous as he approached Sasha's apartment. She wasn't returning his calls, meaning she was avoiding him. Since she wasn't working until the evening, he guessed she was home. He was determined to get to the bottom of what happened last night and if he had to come to her, so be it.

He was about to knock on the door when it opened and Pam stepped outside. "Ah, President Panty Dropper," she greeted, wearing a particularly wide smile. "Nice to see you this fine morning."

The Samoan blushed at yet another colorful nickname from the petite woman. "Hi Pam. Is she home?"

"She's taking a shower. You two need to talk. She's not very happy right now but I'm sure you'll find a way to cheer her up." She winked, deliberately leaving the door ajar for him. "Have fun, lover boy."

Watching the petite woman walk away for a moment, he turned back and stepped inside the apartment. The first thing he heard was music playing in what he knew was Sasha's bedroom. He knocked on the door, then slowly pushed it open. The room was empty, but he could hear the shower running. Knowing she was only a few feet away, naked and wet in a steamy shower, made his body ache with need. Suddenly inspired, Joe strode toward the bathroom.

He smiled wickedly when he saw her shower wasn't hidden by a curtain. It was just steamy glass doors, and while the view was a little distorted, it wasn't by much. He could see Sasha in all her glory, that backside he constantly fantasized about facing him as she bent over…

_Aww shit._

Joe's vision blurred as he drank in the sight of her round apple bottom hanging in the air. Every last drop of blood in his body rushed straight to his dick. Women had absolutely no idea what that particular position did to a man. And he himself was a hopeless sucker for big shapely butts like Sasha's. He stood there in the doorway ogling her, and was almost disappointed when she turned around to let the stream hit her shoulder blades. Her breasts were obscured by the thick white soap suds, and a shower cap protected her hair. The space between her thick thighs was dripping water, and Joe wanted to lick that particular spot clean off. Lick all of her, to be fair. He really should alert her of his presence but at the moment he was perfectly content to just watch her hands roam around her body, washing and scrubbing with a big puffy sponge.

Sasha shrieked when she saw him standing at her bathroom door three feet away, staring at her. "Jesus!" she said, covering her breasts with her arm. "You scared me half to death!"

"Sorry," he said, but he didn't look the least bit sorry. Helplessly she tried to cover herself up somehow, but it was no use. "Just give me a minute, I'll be done soon," she stammered. "You can wait in the kitchen or something."

"I ain't goin' nowhere, sweetheart," he said. "And you got no reason to hide your body from me."

_Damn you, Pamela._ "Aren't I at least entitled to some modesty?" She glared at him through the steamy glass.

"No. And if you want, I can get naked, too." Without waiting for an answer, Joe took off his shirt and dropped his jeans.

Moisture instantly surged between her thighs at the sight of him in his tight black boxer briefs, but she was still annoyed. "It's easy for you to get naked. You didn't squeeze two babies out of your body and wind up with a kangaroo pouch and stretch marks." Seeing his own hard, young body and the perky, toned frames of the Divas the other night only made her painfully aware of everything her own body had gone through over the years.

Suddenly, the shower door yanked open and Joe stepped inside in all his half-naked glory. Sasha retreated, forced to stop when her back made contact with the cold tiles. She clutched her sponge in front of her like a shield. But Joe snatched it and tossed it on the floor of the shower, shocking her. "What the hell?" she demanded.

"Quit talking yourself down like that!" His voice rose, causing her eyes to widen in surprise. "And quit trying to cover yourself. You have a gorgeous figure, a woman's body with a woman's curves. So maybe you have a few stretch marks, but do you honestly think it makes you any less attractive?" His eyes bored into hers. "You're beautiful. Nothing should convince you otherwise."

"You better get that damn bass outta your voice," she frowned. Her heart was racing. She wanted to believe him, she did, but she had been too self-conscious for too long. The stretch marks could be ignored, she agreed begrudgingly, but there was no way he actually _liked _them.

"I should be pissed at you, you know," said Joe,, ignoring her threat. "I don't know what I did wrong but you walked out on me without telling me why. I didn't have that much to drink."

"It wasn't that," Sasha said, stepping under the shower to wash away the soap suds. "You just have an interesting bunch of friends, that's all."

"I'm sorry about them." He moved closer to her. "Can I make it up to you?"

"How?" she inquired, pausing when his arms circled her waist from behind.

"I'll show you. Right now. In here," he muttered, his chest flush against her back. He kissed her neck, his mouth widening to suckle the sensitive spot he'd become acquainted with. "Yeah, definitely here."

Sasha tried to formulate some form of response, but with the way he was wreaking havoc on her neck, not to mention how he was fondling her right breast and slowly grinding his hardness on her ass, all at the same time, she came up with nothing. She spun around just in time for him to bring his mouth down to hers, claiming it with a thrusting, possessive tongue. Damn, he was so dominant, so hot. He stepped back briefly to shove his underwear down, revealing his impressive erection, and that was almost worth the embarrassing discomfort she was feeling at the moment. He really had a perfect body. Just toned and muscular and...wow.

"It's been two weeks, baby girl," he whispered, his lips on her jaw, her neck, her shoulder, her mouth. Her wet nakedness against his was doing crazy things to him. "Two long weeks since I've been inside you." He tugged her closer, and Sasha gasped as he slid his hand between her legs. She was helpless, feeling all her inhibitions evaporate the way they always did whenever Joe touched her. He had an amazing way of touching her and kissing her so that every nerve ending in her body sizzled. Making little sounds of encouragement, she closed her eyes and rested her forehead on his tattooed arm, whimpering as he stroked inside her, hitting her sweet spot so good it made her see stars.

She felt him push her feet apart with his, giving him better access inside her. His lips found hers again in a smoldering kiss, his tongue moving in tandem with his fingers, his erection nudging her thigh while the water rained down on them. Assaulted by sensation, Sasha ran her hands through his now wet, stringy hair. Somehow her shower cap had fallen off, drenching her weave, and Joe grabbed onto it, holding her head firmly as he kissed her hard. She was covered in goose bumps, from the mix of hot water, the demanding presses of his fingers to the warmth of his mouth. She knew where this was going but she didn't mind at all. Though she'd never had sex in the shower before, the anticipation was fogging her brain.

In one swift motion, Joe draped her leg over his hip, positioned his erection at her entrance and pushed inside her. Sasha ripped her mouth off of his and sucked in a breath, almost forgetting to exhale. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head as he moved slow and deep inside her. She wound her arms around his neck, standing on the tips of her toes because he was so tall. With her one remaining foot, she shifted her body to balance herself properly, and the movement sent him so deep inside her that they both groaned out loud.

"Fuck," Joe hissed, gripping her waist hard. "Do that again."

It hadn't been her intention to do anything other than balance herself, but she let him think she had a few tricks up her sleeve. Moving her hips, she shifted again, moaning when aching tremors shot throughout her midsection. "Oh god, Joe..."

"Keep goin', baby. Ride my dick," Joe said in a strained voice that said he was losing control. That she had gotten him to that point with little effort was so exciting that she didn't hesitate. Squeezing his massive shoulders for leverage, Sasha pumped up and down on his length without any particular skill, just enthusiasm and desperation. When Joe couldn't take it anymore, he lifted her clean off her feet and pressed her against the tiles. With her ass clamped in his hands, he thrust ferociously into her, and the sounds of slapping skin, moaning and heavy breathing quickly competed with the rush of the water in the tiny enclosure.

"Goddamn Sash, you feel fuckin' incredible," he rasped.

"Oh shit, yes! Harder baby, fuck me harder," Sasha ordered, moaning loudly when he obliged her. Pressing her thighs around his wide waist, she clung to him as he drove into her, each press of his big body sliding her up and down the wall. Her loins burned for release, and she jammed her face into his neck to muffle her cries, but it was to no avail when the orgasm claimed her. Waves of pleasure rolled over her, her muscles contracting around his length over and over. Managing to maintain his foothold on the slippery floor, Joe pumped harder, prolonging her pleasure, and Sasha was vaguely aware of him grunting in her ear as his release throbbed inside her. With one final jerk of his hips, he ceased to move, and he kept her pinned to the wall with his dick and his trembling frame. Both were quivering messes, replete and satisfied. Their skin was wrinkled from the constant water stream, their hair stuck to their faces and neck. Brushing his hair out of his eyes, she sighed softly at the feel of his lips meeting hers, more gently this time. Her legs ached from tensing repeatedly. But it was a good, satisfying kind of ache.

"What happened last night?" Joe asked softly, his grey eyes locking on her face. "Why'd you leave me?"

In the heat of passion, Sasha almost forgot about what was bothering her. Squirming out of the big man's arms and back to her feet, she stepped around him and out of the shower. Putting on her bathrobe, she tossed a towel to him when she sensed him trailing behind her. "Your friends Danielle and Natalie cornered me at the party," she said after a long silence.

Joe frowned as he wrapped the towel around his waist. He wasn't one to bad-mouth women, but those two made it difficult for him not to. Danielle and Natalie were well-known attention seekers and if he'd known they'd be at the party he probably wouldn't have bothered to come. "What did they say?"

"They mentioned someone named Andrea. Said you cheated on her." Thinking about it, she realized she knew little about his past relationships. For a couple that was trying things out, they hadn't talked much about those chapters in their lives. It probably wouldn't have mattered if she didn't have to hear it, or at least a version of it, from someone else.

"And you believed them?" Joe challenged, and she winced at the hard edge in his tone. "Should I?" she asked, keeping her voice firm.

He eyed her for a long moment, then pushed his wet hair back and sighed deeply. "Andrea was my ex-girlfriend," he explained. "We dated for about three years, broke up somewhere in between. I slept with someone else, but just once and only after we'd split. It wasn't a perfect relationship but I never cheated."

"So you got back together?"

"Yeah, after about two months apart." And to this day, he wished he never did. "Not once did I step out on her. I don't work like that."

"Did _she_ cheat?" Sasha asked, making her way to the kitchen.

"Not that I know of," he answered. What she did though, in his opinion, was far worse than cheating.

Sasha could see the discomfort on his face, and curiosity got the better of her. "What did she do?"

At her question, Joe looked away, and the mother of two noticed his tightly clenched fists upon the kitchen table. "I hate talking about it," he confessed, his voice hard. "I'd like to tell you but…" He paused, looking at her with guarded eyes. "I will, I promise. Just not now. Not yet."

She looked up at him, somewhat puzzled by his obvious distress, and opted to take his word for it. As tense silence fell between them, she got up to pour them both a cup of coffee. "I'm sorry about last night, Joe. I know I should have come to you first. It was just a lot of things that culminated and I let it overwhelm me. I've never really been with anyone that gets so much attention like you do. I'm just going to have to get used to it, is all."

"You clearly have a big issue with cheating," Joe pointed out. "Was it T.K.'s dad?"

Sasha rejoined him at the table with their coffee. Unlike him, she didn't have a big problem talking about it. "Not just him, but he's first. Tyson and I dated in high school. The sweetest talker you'll ever find, and that sweet talk got me pregnant on Homecoming night. When I told him about it, he looked me in the eye and said he didn't want the baby. He split, but not before telling me to get rid of it. It amazed me how easily he walked away. Like I was nothing, like the two years we were together was a waste of his time. And then I found out why. He was seeing someone else behind my back. I told myself I'll never be that stupid again. And I was doing so good too, until bam! Out pops Mia. Now _her_ dad," She chuckled wryly, her expression darkening. "Different kettle of fish. Promised me everything under the sun and told me he would take care of me and T.K. And he did. He'd take him to school, buy him stuff. It was all nice and dandy for a few months, but everything changed when I found coke in T.K.'s school bag."

Joe's eyes went wide.

"Turns out Cliff was using T.K. as a fuckin' mule. He lined his bag with sachets of cocaine on the way to school, then he'd pick him up after and go to whatever crack house he worked for and drop his stash there. T.K. went to school every day with dope. I mean, it made sense to use him, right? No one would ever search a seven-year-old kid. I probably would never have known if Cliff hadn't forgot one when I was unpacking T.K.'s bag. I confronted Cliff and he was like, 'How do you think I pay for all the shit I give you?' I was floored. He didn't even give a damn that he involved a child in his shit. Oh yeah, and he was fucking his boss; some woman he'd been messing around with before he met me. I didn't even flinch. I threatened to call the cops if he didn't get the hell out of my life. A month later I find out I'm pregnant and Cliff's head was blown off in a police bust. And all I thought was, that could have been T.K. My little boy coulda been with him that day and gotten shot." Sasha clenched her jaw, still upset that she hadn't seen through it all.

Joe didn't know what to say. It all made sense now. Why she was so hesitant, so cautious. It was one thing to betray her, but using her own child to do it? It was unacceptable, unforgivable. And he knew _exactly_ how she felt.

"Ever since then, I've just kept to myself," Sasha went on, cupping both hands over her mug. "This life just seems to take and take, and I'm tired of giving what I don't have. I'm not the richest woman on the planet. I'm a high school dropout. I got two children by two different men. I don't have a car, I can't afford cable, and I sure as hell don't depend on no Government welfare shit. Some of T.K.'s friends' mothers…what they're doing to make ends meet will make your skin crawl. I can't do that. I want my children to be proud of me. That's all I want because they're all I've got left. They depend on me and my decisions affect them." She stopped, ducking her head and making a sound of embarrassment. "Ugh, I talk too damn much."

After hearing all of that, learning just how truly strong this amazing woman was, how did she expect him to stay away from her? He reached out to caress her cheek. "You're a hell of a lot more badass than I thought. Thank you for sharing that with me. You didn't have to, but you did and I appreciate that."

She'd told him all of that and he didn't run? Wow. He was more incredible than she thought. Turning her face to kiss his palm, she replied, "Thank you for listening. Maybe someday you'll let me listen to you too."

Returning the meaningful look she gave him, he nodded sincerely. "I will," he promised. "So what time do the kids come home?"

"Mia's back at three, T.K. at four-thirty."

Joe smirked, getting up from his chair and pulling her up with him. "Three, huh? That's a lot of time between now and then."

"Time for what?" Her eyes darkened at the wicked smile on his face.

"That welcoming party you promised yesterday."

Her body throbbed again at the sight of his tongue darting over his lips as he stared her down. All of a sudden, the gloomy mood from earlier disappeared, replaced with something far more exciting. "But what about the shower?"

"That was the taster, baby girl. I'm ready for the real party now." Without warning he picked her up and carried her back into the bedroom. Her playful squeal was music to his ears.

* * *

_**Saw the 'President Panty Dropper' name on twitter, had to incorporate it. Shout out to the girl if she's reading!**_

_**Payback is going to be fun. Fingers crossed for the boys, here's hoping each of them gets to shine.**_

_**Thoughts on the update? The longer the better. :D**_


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: Guyssssss…have you seen the Fatherhood PSA ad with Roman and his daughter? Cuteness overload! Wait till that girl grows up, he's gonna be Superman-punching boys left and right, lol.**_

_**Big thank you to the awesome **__Bharm, ChelleLew, justkimmy, too much drama 1225, Ortongirl1993, wwefanatic365, broguekicking, clarembees, nikki1335, Shield316, CFierce116, IRENELOVE83, DeeMarie426, AyannaCosta, benova13, princessreigns, Tammy__** and **__Olivia Reigns__** for reviewing!**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

"Let's go Knights! Let's go Knights!" Mia chanted, bouncing up and down in the back seat of Joe's Range Rover as it drove to T.K.'s basketball game. She and Sasha were decked in Mason Hill's colors of red and grey. There was a big red 'T' painted on Mia's right cheek and a grey 'K' on her left cheek. Even Joe had on a red t-shirt in a show of solidarity. This was an important game for T.K. and Sasha was nervous, as she always was before every game day.

"Don't worry, Mama. T.K.'s gonna kill it," Mia assured her mother.

Joe laughed at Sasha's anxious features as he turned the steering wheel. "You remind me of my dad when I was playing football in high school. On game day he'd tell me to be calm and focused but there he was sweatin' bullets as he's talking to me. It was hilarious. He was more nervous than _I_ was."

"I know how he feels right now, that's for sure," said Sasha, "There's going to be scouts there. They better notice Ty, he's worked so hard. Oh, I hope he doesn't get hurt."

The corner of his mouth curved with amusement. "Chill out, Sash. T.K.'s going to be fine. Right, Mia?" he asked, meeting her eyes through the rearview mirror.

"Right!" she cheered, ever confident of her big brother's abilities. Deep down, Joe had his fingers crossed. He was taking Sasha out to dinner tonight and would rather have her in a good mood, considering after tonight he wasn't seeing her for another week.

The opposing school's gym was packed in a sea of yellow and blue, drowning out Mason Hill's grey and red. Sasha and Mia cheered and clapped as the Knights came out, with Joe joining in as T.K. brought up the rear, the teen's game face on. The game was neck and neck the entire way through. Sasha found herself anxiously clutching Joe's arm for most of it. It all came down to the final seconds, with the scoreboard showing the Knights down by just a point. Sasha's heart leapt in her throat when T.K. was fouled hard and fell down onto the hardwood floor, awarding him two free throws. If he got those throws, the Knights were going to the semifinals. A parent sitting beside her had pointed out the scouts. _Those fools better be paying attention_, she thought.

There was a tense silence as he made the first free throw, just like she'd seen him do so many times before. The second free throw was even more nerve wracking. He shot the ball and it was in the air for what seemed like a lifetime. It rattled around the blue rim and then went through the net. The grey and red in the gymnasium exploded. The Knights had won, with T.K. announced as the MVP of the game with thirty-three points and six rebounds.

It was half an hour before T.K. was able to escape the post-match locker room celebrations. With his gym bag on his shoulder, he emerged from the school and found his mom and sister standing by a black Range Rover with Joe. T.K. had been surprised to see him in the stands. He definitely didn't expect him to be here, at a high school game of all places.

One of T.K.'s teammates, Steve, pulled him aside. "Dude, ain't that Roman Reigns with your mom?" he asked, two other teammates eyeing him expectantly.

"Yeah," he replied, his chest puffing out slightly at the look of awe on his friends' faces. He'd shown them the photos he'd taken with the Shield members but with Joe there in the flesh, T.K. knew he automatically became cooler in their eyes.

"Yeah, you told us you met him but we didn't know you actually knew him! Is he's your mom's boyfriend?"

His pride fizzled out. "No." He knew his mom and Joe were spending more and more time together but he had never heard her call him her boyfriend, not even to Aunt Pam. He wouldn't jump the gun and ruin it for her.

"Come on man. Introduce us," said Steve, already dragging him forwards before he could respond. Seeing T.K. coming up to them, Joe pointed him out to Sasha. Instantly she went over to him, hugging him tightly. "Baby, you were amazing! I'm so proud of you."

T.K. smiled proudly, squeezing Mia's shoulders. "Thanks Ma."

"Hi, Miss Morgan," Steve said distractedly, and Sasha rolled her eyes good-naturedly as he and his friends stumbled over themselves to get to Joe. A couple of other people were staring at the Samoan but made no move to approach him. "Groupies," she chuckled.

After his friends were gone, armed with personalized Roman Reigns selfies, T.K. turned back to Joe, gesturing towards Sasha and Mia underneath him. "You brought them here?" he asked. Joe nodded, and T.K. smiled. "Thanks, man. And thank you for coming to watch the game, that's really cool of you."

Joe looked down, slightly surprised when he saw the teenager's hand extended towards him. Hesitating for just a second, he took it, shaking it firmly. The big man figured this was as close to an approval as he was ever going to get from the teenager. "No worries. I'm glad I got to see such a great game. So how are you celebrating?"

"The Coach is taking us all out, and afterwards I'm spending the night at my teammate's place. And speaking of which," T.K. checked his watch, "I gotta get going, we all have to get on the bus right now." He smiled down at his sister as Sasha ruffled his hair. "Don't forget to call me once you're at Steve's place, you hear me?" she said.

"I will. Have fun at Courtney's sleepover, Baby Pie." T.K. said to Mia. He kissed her cheek, then his mom's, and with one last grateful glance at Joe, he rushed off to join his jubilating teammates. Sasha watched him go, her heart swelling with pride for her boy.

* * *

If looks could kill, the waiter would be long dead thanks to Joe's angry glares. He'd brought them their orders already, so why the hell he was still lurking around their private dining room? The Samoan trailed the guy's eyes like a hawk as they fell once again upon Sasha, who sat next to Joe reading text messages on her phone. The white dress she wore displayed her knees and legs enticingly. Still, either the punk had balls the size of grapefruits or he just wasn't a smart man. "Did you need something?" Joe finally spoke up, his tone deep and threatening as he rolled his shoulders menacingly.

Even when seated, the waiter could see just how intimidating the Samoan was. "No sir. Enjoy your meal," he said, scurrying out of the room.

Sasha set her phone down. "Were you growling at him just now?" She smirked at Joe as he continued to stare at the door, his teeth bared and with the meanest side-eye she'd ever seen. "And you're shoulder-flexing. You only do that when you're pissed."

"I'm not pissed. I just don't appreciate the way he been starin' at you the whole damn night," he grumbled.

"Aww, is someone jealous?" she teased.

"Of him? Not a chance."

"Sure you are," she said simply, staring at him as she bit her lip. "I like that you are."

At the sight of her lip in her mouth, Joe was instantly transported back to a couple of days ago; the two of them writhing around in her bed and that innocent-looking mouth doing salacious things to his body. Clearing his throat, he shifted in his seat.

Sasha took absent-minded bites of her dinner, lost in thought. "So Ty seemed happy to see you today," she commented.

"He did?"

She shrugged. "It looked that way. He seems to be warming up to you."

"That's always a good thing, right?" Joe quipped, earning a short laugh from the mother of two. "It is. It's just…Tyson doesn't really get close to people and I don't blame him," she said quietly. "He don't need nobody runnin' in and out of his life. He doesn't deserve that. He deserves stability."

At that statement, Joe met her eyes. "Is it his life or yours you're talking about?" he inquired. "Who are you really trying to protect? Him? Or you?"

Honestly, she had never quite looked at it that way but now that she thought about it, she knew her answer. "Both," she admitted.

It was the answer he expected. "Fair enough. I can't speak for all the other guys in your past but I meant it when I said I would never hurt or disrespect you or your children. Besides, Pam vowed to kick my ass if I did."

Sasha burst out laughing. "And she'd do it too. I seen her whoop guys twice her size before."

"Yeah, I think she's more intimidating than some guys I've faced in the ring. I can tell you and her are really close," Joe observed.

The mother of two nodded. "We are. I lived with her for fifteen years, from when I was eleven years old. I never knew my father, and after my mother passed away in a car accident I moved in with Pam, and her mom basically raised me as her second daughter. We're more than just best friends. We're sisters. Her mother was my mother. She took care of me during my pregnancy with T.K. and helped me find a job after he was born. She and Pam saved my life. I don't know where I'd be right now if it wasn't for them."

"Do you still keep in touch with her? Pam's mom I mean."

Sasha lowered her eyes. "She passed away ten years ago. Breast cancer."

He grimaced. "I'm sorry."

"So am I. She was a great woman. The best. I miss her every day. Pam looks just like her." Growing adverse to the gloomy topic, she switched over to a happier one. "What time is your flight tomorrow?"

"Nine. Colby's coming to pick me up." Joe paused, noting the look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She sighed heavily. The gloom hadn't left. "I just wish you didn't have to leave so often."

At the sincerity of her words, his gaze softened. "Me too. But it's what I signed up for. It's what I've wanted all my life; to make it big in the WWE. It's just what it is." He paused, a little smirk spreading over his gorgeous features. "Do you miss me when I'm gone?"

There was no point lying. "Yes," she confessed. Feeling her face warm, she glanced back down at her unfinished dinner. "You being away makes me think about you. A lot."

She probably didn't realize it, but her shyness turned him the heck on. "Don't blush, baby girl. I like that you think about me," he stated. "I think about you too. All the time." When she looked back at him, he tucked his finger underneath her chin, keeping his eyes on her. He kissed her tenderly, a low groan vibrating within his chest when she returned his kiss without hesitation. Their arms wound around each other, and the silence in the private dining room was soon punctuated with smacking lips and hands smoothing over skin and fabric, their food momentarily forgotten about.

"Stay with me tonight." Joe's voice was husky in her ear. "Mia's at her sleepover, and T.K.'s with his boys, right?"

Her lips sought his again. "Right."

"Which means you'll be in an empty apartment." His hand snuck up her thigh. "Come home with me. We could have a sleepover of our own," he suggested with a wiggle of his eyebrows, causing Sasha to giggle and smack his shoulder. He kissed her again. "I want to hold you in my arms tonight. Spend the night with me."

She would do whatever he asked if he kept massaging her ass like that. "Okay."

* * *

They were in his bed a couple of hours later, spooning under the covers, their legs tangled together. Sasha sighed contentedly as Joe's lips wrapped dutifully around hers. His solid frame pressed up against her back, his arms were wrapped securely around her, and Sasha felt safe, protected in his embrace. She couldn't begin to explain how much he had done for her in in such a short period of time. Words couldn't describe how wonderful he made her feel, physically and emotionally. Thanks to him, she felt things she never thought she would experience with another man again – sexy, wanted, appreciated. With him, she wasn't just a mother, but a woman with needs and wants and desires that craved to be satisfied. Joe did that and more, and she didn't want him to stop.

"I could make out with you all night," she whispered against his lips, "I love the way you kiss me."

"Can't help myself, baby girl. Your lips are so soft," he purred. He kissed her again, slowly rolling his tongue inside her mouth and smiling when she groaned in response. He caressed her skin, heated from their recent bout of lovemaking, and his other arm was underneath her body, his hand gently kneading the soft flesh of her breast. Her body was so warm and soft and intoxicating, and all he wanted was to remain close to her like this. He hated that he had to get up in the morning and leave her once again. It got harder and harder each time he had to. He loved going to work and performing for the WWE fans, but now he had a reason to come home. This beautiful woman in his arms was it, and he didn't want it to slip away. He wanted this to be a constant in his life and he wanted her to know that. "I don't want this thing between us to end, Sasha," he said, "I want to leave tomorrow and know that this isn't over. I don't want this to stop." His voice was soft and serious, letting her know that he meant every word he was saying.

Turning so she laid on her back, Sasha reached up to thread her fingers through his sweat-dampened hair. "And what is 'this' exactly?" She tried to keep the hope out of her voice.

Holding her tighter, he kissed her lips again. "It's us, baby. It's me and you." He'd been thinking about it for a while and had come to the conclusion that this was what he wanted. He could only hope that she wanted it as well. "I want you, Sasha. I want us to be together. Me as your man, you as my girl," he whispered, nuzzling her hair with his nose and inhaling the coconut scent. "We belong together, baby. I truly believe that. Tell me you feel the same. Tell me you want to be with me."

The look in his grey eyes as they bored into hers was so intense and so serious and honest, that she couldn't hold back her own feelings any longer. "I do," she said confidently, as he maneuvered himself back on top of her. "I want you too, Joe. I want to be with you." And right there and then, everything changed for her. She had put herself out there, exposing herself for him to protect her or destroy her if he wanted to. But either way, she could tell that the ride up until that moment would be incredible.

She didn't know if she had his heart, but she was damn sure that Joe Anoa'i had hers.

* * *

_**A/N: Fluff galore, I know. Maybe it's just me, but why do I feel like both of them are already 'there'? Do you think so too? #theLword**_


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N: Oh man…I think WWE are trying to kill me with President Panty Dropper's Fatherhood ads. Now there's a Behind the Scenes version which is even cuter than the first one. Just…sigh. **_

_**Anyway: huge thanks to **__too much drama 1225__, __Bharm__, __DeeMarie426__, __clarembees__, __broguekicking__, __justkimmy__, __Ortongirl1993__, __CFierce116__, __DEREK-FREAKIN-HALE-IS-MINE__, __nikki1335, __Shield316__, __Ctinaisfashion__, __IRENELOVE83__, __wwefanatic365__, Tammy, __Olivia Reigns__, __benova13__, Guest, __princessreigns__**, **__ItsGbruhh __**and **__Guest__** for reviewing! I smile every single time I read what you guys think, you're all so awesome.**_

* * *

Colby opened the front door and smiled nervously. Uh oh. "Hey, Sash."

"Do not hey Sash me!" Sasha stormed past him and into the house. "Where is he?" she demanded.

"Sasha, calm down," Colby begged.

"No, I will _not_ calm down, Colby! You didn't see the state I was in on Monday." She had watched in horror as Joe, in what she believed to be a sudden rush of blood to the head, crashed into the announce table after missing a spear. From the top rope. Colby had had to calm her down over the phone as he informed her of Joe's injuries; a severe concussion, a gash above his right eye that needed stitches and a twisted left knee. As a result, Joe would be out of action for about a fortnight. He was already back home, with Jon and Colby also having to pull out to sell the subsequent ambush of the Shield by the rest of the locker room at the conclusion of Raw. Sasha spent the past three days worrying and agonizing over Joe, and now that she could see him she was going to whoop his ass for putting her through this shit. "Where is he so I can shove my foot up his ass."

"He's upstairs, probably sleeping," said Colby. "Doctor says we should keep him stress-free so please go easy on him."

"Stress?" she scoffed, already trudging up the stairs. "All _three_ o' y'all deserve an ass-whoopin' for givin' _me_ stress. Tryna give somebody a damn heart attack. His ass better be awake if he knows what's good for him!"

"Ambrose! Run for cover!" Colby yelled up the stairs as he trailed behind Sasha. She smacked Joe's bedroom door open and was greeted with the sight of him sitting up in bed with Jon standing by the bed. His left knee was heavily bandaged and his eye taped. On the bedside table was a small bag of medicine. Seeing the look on Sasha's face, Jon quietly slinked away from the bed and stood beside Colby to watch the show.

Joe rubbed one side of his face, keeping away from his banged-up eye. "Shouldn't you be at work?" he said tiredly.

"I got Reggie to change my shift." Hands on her hips, she stared her boyfriend down. "But I got a more important question: Have you lost your motherfuckin' mind?"

Joe sighed. "Babe-"

"Hell no, you better answer me! What the hell were you thinking, jumping into the announce table from the _fucking top rope_?"

Annoyed, the big man rolled his eyes. Since the incident on Monday night, Joe was in pain. His eye still throbbed, as did his knee. He'd been given an injection and pain-killers after the show but none of it seemed to help. Add in the fact that he would be out of action for two whole weeks and possibly have to drop his and Colby's newly-won Tag Team titles and it was enough to put him in the foulest of moods. Sasha ragging on him only made him madder. "Did you seriously come all this way to chew my ass out? Because it don't change the fact that I'm already hurt."

"And whose fault was that?" Sasha retorted, "Wasn't me that told you to nearly kill yourself. What, you think you Colby now with all that Evel Knievel Reject crap?"

"Hey!" Colby protested.

"I don't need this shit," Joe grunted, looking over at Jon. "I've been stuck in this house for two damn days. I want out."

"Doc says you can't go anywhere, man," Jon said.

"Yeah, listen to him," said Sasha, "Better stay put before you do something stupid again."

Joe threw his hands in the air, his temper getting the best of him. "Oh, will you give it a fuckin' rest already!" he snapped, "You ain't been here all of five minutes and you already getting on my damn nerves!"

For a second Sasha stood frozen, blinking slowly in surprise. The expression quickly changed to one of anger. "Oh _really_? Well your boys are doing fine dealin' with your ass by themselves. I ain't got no problem waltzing out of here _right now_."

"Please don't," Jon begged. Joe had been cranky and irritable to the point that Jon wanted to strangle him. If anyone could set him straight it would be his girlfriend. "He doesn't mean it. It's the meds talking."

"Okay, time out," Colby stepped in between the squabbling couple, the peacekeeper as always. "Sasha, it was an accident. That was the pre-arranged spot but it was a bad landing. Unfortunately, that happens sometimes. And G.I., I know you're frustrated man, but don't take it out on her. She's just worried about you and she should be. Now relax, both of you."

The room grew thick with petulant silence as Joe and Sasha glared at Colby, knowing he was right. Sighing heavily, the mother of two faced Joe, crossing her arms. "Do you need surgery?" she asked quietly.

"No. Just bed rest," he replied stiffly.

"That's great news. You've probably been cooped up in this room since you got back, that's why you're being a baby," she said. "Come on. Let's go downstairs."

Joe frowned. "What am I gonna do downstairs?"

"I don't know. It's your house. You'll figure something out."

"Y'all are so cute when you bicker," Colby pointed out, and both of them gave him such dirty looks that he welped and hid behind a laughing Jon. "At least he's out of our hands for now, thank God," Jon commented, patting his younger friend's shoulder. "I'm going downstairs to play X-Box."

The two men left, leaving Sasha alone with their teammate. Shaking her head, she looked around the untidy room. "So what do you need to take down with you?"

"You on babysitting duty then?" Joe asked, his ire dimming as his attention was drawn to her perfect ass in those grey leggings. Only she could make a simple tank top and leggings look so hot.

"Yep. Now what do you want?"

Joe licked his lips. "That ass," he answered without hesitation.

Sasha looked over her shoulder and saw his eyes fixed hungrily on her backside. "A minute ago you didn't want none of this. I was getting on your nerves remember?"

"I've changed my mind."

Shaking her head, she answered, "Not gonna happen, handsome. Not in your condition."

"You really think a bum knee could stop me from having sex?" Joe raised a challenging eyebrow, making her laugh. "Horn dog. You can't anyway. My monthly friend's in town."

Understanding, the big man groaned. "Ugh. The master of cock-blocks since the dawn of time."

Sasha gave him an amused look, absorbing the sight of him sprawled out on his bed. If someone had told her three months ago that she would be dating a man eight years her junior, she would have laughed in their face. If they'd told her that same man would be a professional wrestler, she would have recommended a trip to the mental institution. But here she was, tending to one of the most must-see young names in the profession today, who was currently acting a tad younger than his twenty-seven years. "Are you always this dramatic when you're hurt?"

"I am not dramatic."

"Sure you're not," she smirked. "Now what do you need? Seriously."

Joe licked his lips and thought. "Um, can you get my iPod and headphones from the table?"

Sasha walked over to the dressing table, finding his iPod and his Beats headphones. As she picked up something off the floor, Joe ogled her. Her leggings hugged her lower body perfectly, and her back was straight as she bent over, as though she'd practiced the posture for years. He could tell she was doing it on purpose but damn if he wasn't enjoying the view.

"Babe?"

Her voice snapped him out of his trance. "Yeah?"

"Anything else?" she asked.

"The iPod battery's probably dead, and I think the charger's on that side of my bed," he said. He made to reach for it but Sasha stopped him. "I'll get it." She started to go around the bed but paused, a wicked smile forming on her face. Why go round when she could just go _across_?

Crawling into the bed, she climbed over Joe's lap and pulled the iPod charger off the wall, all too aware that her rear end was pretty much in his face. She could feel his eyes burning into her, just like when she was at his dressing table, and was more than happy to give him another show. In a graceful yet stripper-like move, she slid forward slightly and arched her back, jutting out her backside even more.

Joe was drooling. Unable to stop himself, he palmed the curve of her ass, groaning when she instantly wiggled out of his reach. Getting off the bed, Sasha backed away and put her index finger in her mouth, holding his eyes seductively and trying not to laugh at his expression. This was payback for all the times he'd teased her in the past.

There was a predatory look in his grey gaze. "I'ma get you back, baby girl. You know that right?"

"We'll see," she winked. "Now get up, you big baby."

With Sasha's help, Joe made it down the stairs, and he joined Jon in the living room to play Call of Duty on the massive flat screen TV. Colby was in the kitchen checking his phone, and he muttered a greeting to Sasha as she walked by him. "Sorry about my grand entrance, Colby," she said.

"It's alright. You were just worried," the two-tone haired man waved away her apology.

"Colby…" she paused, smiling, "Why do I like your name? Colby."

He grinned proudly. "It's unique, compared to dimes-a-dozen Uno and Dos over there," he quipped, pointing at his two teammates duking it out on the X-Box. "There's like five Joe's and ten Jon's on the roster alone."

"You guys eaten yet?" she asked, bringing out items from the fridge.

"No." He craned his neck, beaming when he saw her chopping up vegetables. "You're cooking for us?"

"Looks that way," she answered, "Who else will do it now that Joe's hurt?"

"We could've ordered something, or asked Lauren to get us something," Colby shrugged, referring to his girlfriend. Sasha had met her a couple of times. She was a sweet little thing. She was definitely Colby's female counterpart and the mother of two thought they were precious together.

Sasha managed to rustle up an early lunch for the boys, consisting of fried chicken, mashed potatoes,vegetables and gravy. Not the healthiest menu, but since Joe wouldn't be able to work out for a while why not indulge a little? She took his plate over to him so he didn't have to get up.

"This looks great, babe," he complimented. It was even greater watching her in the kitchen from his vantage point. Her moving gracefully around the kitchen as if she'd been there a million times, her hands waving expertly over the pots as she stirred the food, chastising Colby for stealing a piece of chicken. The sight of her looking comfortable, looking at home in _his_ home, warmed the Samoan's heart. It was definitely worth having his Call of Duty character get shot at a dozen times.

* * *

After lunch – for which Sasha was thanked very heartily by the boys – Joe fell asleep on the long couch in front of the TV. Colby and Jon went to run some errands but promised to return in time for Sasha to head back home. The mother of two took the opportunity to get a few things done around the house while he slept. She started by transferring some of his stuff from his bedroom to the guest room downstairs so he wouldn't have to keep climbing up and down with his bad knee. She tidied up his bedroom, gathered his dirty laundry and loaded the washing machine. As she returned to the living room with his meds, a text came through on her phone. The landlord, bothering her about the rent again. "Oh for fuck's sake," she grumbled.

"What is it?"

Joe's deep voice caused her to jump and clutch her heart. "Jeez, you scared me."

"Sorry." He gingerly pushed himself up to a sitting position, cringing a little as he tried to move his left leg. "You okay?" she asked, noting his discomfort.

"Been better," he answered, stretching the leg out. "So what's got you cussing like a sailor?"

She sat down on the edge of the couch with her back to him, sighing. "Nothing serious. Just a reminder that my rent's overdue."

That didn't sound 'not serious' to Joe. "Let me take care of it," he offered.

She went rigid. "No," she said firmly.

"I don't mind."

"It doesn't matter. I can't let you do that."

"Why not?"

"Because I got it under control."

Joe could only chuckle and shake his head. He knew quite a few proud women, but Sasha Morgan had to be right up there with the best of them. "I know you do, baby. But it don't mean I still can't take care of my girlfriend. Which is all I'm trying to do here. So let me handle it."

"Joe…" Sasha went speechless as he pulled out a credit card from his wallet and handed it to her. "Here. Use whatever you need. Call up who you have to and pay whatever is due."

Determination surfaced in his eyes again, and she knew he wasn't taking no for answer. "Fine." She sighed and grabbed her phone. Half an hour later her rent and light bills were paid up. Joe rubbed her back, staying quiet but looking rather pleased with himself.

"Thank you," Sasha said politely when she was done. "I feel like a gold digger, but thank you."

"You're not a gold digger. You've never thrown yourself at me. You won't hear me complainin' if you do though…" He winked, smiling when she rolled her eyes and smiled. He sat up and let her move further into the sofa so he could rest his head on her lap. "Mm," he sighed, snuggling against her, "much better."

Sasha gazed down at his bruised face, her thumb grazing a spot above his patched eye. "The craziness in the ring needs to be toned down, handsome," she stated. "It's trying to ruin your beautiful face for me."

He chuckled. "Okay. I'll try, but only for you."

"Thank you."

"I'm sorry I was a dick earlier," he murmured, his voice dropping meekly. "I know you were only worried about me. I'm just frustrated with the shitty timing of my injury. Colb and I only just won the Tag titles and now we might drop them because I'm hurt. Any kind of injury can derail a wrestler's momentum. I just don't want mine to affect Colby too."

Sasha combed her fingers through his hair. "It's okay. I understand why you're frustrated. But don't worry so much. Colby will be fine. You just focus on getting better and getting back to work. The rest will handle themselves."

Yawning, the Samoan nodded and closed his eyes, nuzzling her abdomen, and she was reminded of a big, pampered cat. "I like when you do that."

"Do what?" she questioned.

"Play with my hair. I'm not fond of other people touching it but it feels good when you do."

"Oh. Well, I can't resist. It's so long and soft," she said, stroking his hair again.

"Sasha?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you ever come on the road with me?" His eyes opened again, meeting her uncertain expression. "I'd really like it if you came along with me one day. You don't have to give me an answer right away. I know there's other stuff you have to consider."

Honestly, she _had_ thought about it a few times. Traveling with him would be her first real foray into 'wrestler's girlfriend' territory. She didn't quite know what to expect, but if her experiences in the past couple of weeks were anything to go by, she was in for quite the rollercoaster ride. After a long stretch of silence, she said, "You're right. I'll have to think about it."

"Take all the time you need." Joe yawned again, feeling the sleep creeping back towards him. "Thank you, baby girl. For being here with me."

She smiled softly, caressing his face. There were very few places she would rather be than with him. "Of course I'd be here. My man's hurt and I gotta take care of him."

* * *

_**Hallo loves. My LLM exams are slowly approaching so updates may not be as quick in the coming weeks. But I've already planned this story all the way to the end, and I have a very tentative spin-off in mind. I seriously hope I can put it all down on paper but I'll just have to wait and see.**_

_**One of my quieter updates IMO. Thoughts? Please review. :)**_


	20. Chapter 20

_**Huge thank you to **__CFierce116, Bharm, ItsGbruhh, clarembees, broguekicking, Tammy, ladyjade37, nikki1335, DeeMarie426, wwefanatic365, DEREK-FREAKIN-HALE-IS-MINE, Shield316, Olivia Reigns, justkimmy, princessreigns, IRENELOVE83, benova13, too much drama 1225__** and **__AyannaCosta__** for reviewing! I still don't understand how I have over 250 reviews for such a quiet, unassuming storyline but words can't describe how happy and grateful I am for all of them. Thanks!**_

_**A bit of smut in this. Hope you don't mind. ;)**_

* * *

Popping one of T.K.'s breath mints into her mouth, Sasha wiped her sweaty palms down the front of her dressing gown. Joe was supposed to be at her place in fifteen minutes and she was nervous. They'd made the arrangement the day before – the kids would be at school, he'd have finished his physical therapy for the day and both of them would have time to kill. She'd never exactly scheduled sex before, and he was showing up at her apartment at one thirty for that very reason. It was kind of booty call-ish, but in a strangely hot way, she thought. Their relationship was new and they both liked the pace at which it was going, but there was no harm in spicing it up. The lingerie that Pam had bought her couldn't go to waste. She finally made her pick after spending nearly an hour agonizing over which one to wear, concealing it with a silk dressing gown she'd borrowed from Pam. Sasha had thought herself not up to the challenge of dating, but she was getting the hang of it. Her self-confidence was gradually rebuilding and she had both her best friend and her new boyfriend to thank.

The knock on the door drew her out of her thoughts, and knowing who it was, her palms got sweaty again. Shutting her eyes and taking a few deep breaths, she silently pumped herself up before finally opening the door, where Joe stood holding a bouquet of red roses. She was glad to see his knee had healed well enough for him to make it up three flights of stairs to her apartment. It meant that he was ready for what was about to transpire.

The Samoan's brow arched as he took in the sight of her in a skimpy black dressing gown, the bottom of which swished open to give him a glimpse of her smooth, bare thigh. Joe shut the door behind him and advanced slowly towards her as she rested her weight on her hip.

"Hi," she greeted, feeling her anxiety melt away at the look on his gorgeous face.

Joe licked his lips as he looked her up and down. "You got somethin' for me, beautiful?" he inquired.

Without taking her eyes off him, she took the bouquet from him and tossed it over her shoulder, a sexy smile adorning her full lips. "How about you take a look for yourself and find out?"

Taking the invitation gladly, he untied the belt and slid the gown off her shoulders, unveiling the see-through red bra and panties set that he thought did the most sensual things to her figure. "You are so damn sexy, baby girl." He took his time looking her over, and when their eyes met again, the desire that radiated through his gaze had moisture pooling between Sasha's legs. Closing the space between them, she boldly brought her hand to the front of his pants. "What about you handsome?" she said, "You got somethin' for me?"

"You bet ya fine ass I do," he grinned seductively, planting his large hands on her waist. "And I'ma give it to you right now."

Sasha let out a very unladylike squeal when all of a sudden he lifted her into his arms. "Oh my gosh, how do you just pick me up like that?"

"Baby, I bench-press three times your weight on the daily. This ain't nothin'," he said, barely finishing his sentence before Sasha's lips covered his in a hungry kiss, her legs locking around his waist. Joe's long legs quickly ate up the short distance between the front door and her bedroom. They fell onto the narrow bed with her on top of him, and Sasha clasped his face in her hands as the kissing became more passionate and touching became more adventurous. She ground her crotch against Joe's, making him moan before he rolled her onto her back and returned the favor. Her outfit suddenly felt too constricting, and she wished desperately that he would rip it off her.

"I like this," Joe commented, his fingertips running across the sheer fabric that barely contained the ample swells of her breasts. "You look great in it." He smirked. "But you'll look better _out of it_." He didn't take his eyes off her as he slid her panties down her legs. He sensed her impatience but he kept his movements slow. His fingers found her sex, the Samoan humming his approval at the wetness he felt there. "Oh yeah. You're nice and ready for me, huh?"

A sound of frustration left Sasha's lips. She yanked his shirt over his head, then flipped him back over and straddled him in one smooth motion, then planted a long, wet kiss on his mouth. They writhed against each other, the sound of their lips meeting and parting filling the small bedroom. She traced the tight muscles of his body, now familiar with the spots that made his breath quicken and his pulse spike. Joe bit his lip, watching her tongue trail down his body, her hair falling around her face in a sensual cascade. She stopped between his legs, grabbing his pants and underwear, and he lifted his hips so she could pull them off. Pride swelled inside him at the way she stared at his hardened length. A sharp hiss escaped him when her fist closed over it, flicking her tongue over the slit before taking him fully into her mouth, keeping eye contact with him the whole time.

"Fuck," Joe groaned, closing his eyes as her warm mouth enveloped his dick, her hand pumping him up and down. He gently raked her hair out of her face so he could watch her work him. Her nude ass hovered in the air and she made little erotic sounds that only turned him on even more.

This was the first time Sasha fully appreciated the power a woman wielded when she had a man literally by the balls. She wasn't sure she'd ever really understood how arousing it could be to know that every flick of her tongue, every slide of her mouth, could affect a man's pleasure. But looking up at Joe, his eyes sinfully dark, his chest heaving with labored breaths, she understood. And she liked. A lot.

"Baby, turn around so I can get to you," he said.

Pushing back the hesitation bubbling within her, she moved, with Joe shifting her body so that her thighs were on either side of his head. She was very aware that the position put her butt right in Joe's face, and who knew what was hanging around back there.

What she didn't expect however, was the foreign, wet warmth that suddenly invaded her core. Shrieking in surprise, she looked over her shoulder to see Joe's head wedged between her thighs. His tongue flicked across her entrance again and again, stealing her breath away. It felt so good, so hot and intimate that she just lay there stunned, her body tight and tense with pleasure.

"Don't stop, baby girl," said Joe, his voice raspy. "Put that beautiful mouth on my dick."

Damn, she almost forgot. Swallowing hard, she tried to refocus on pleasuring him. His tongue lapped at her folds, causing her head to bob faster on his shaft in response. Her weight rested on him, and she could feel his hard muscles beneath her, and the press of his fingers into her thighs as he held her legs apart. He ran his hands up her backside, humming appreciatively. "I love your ass, baby," he drawled, "So fuckin' round and juicy and perfect."

Another home run by the Samoan. He had a way of making her insecurities disappear as soon as they popped up, without her even voicing them. In appreciation, she dragged the flat of her tongue along his length. This had to be one of the sluttiest things she'd ever done, but right now she felt like the hottest, sexiest slut in the world.

_Damn, she's fuckin' good_. That was all that went through Joe's mind as she continued to go down on him, feeling the sensations deep in his bones. He fought tooth and nail to keep his hips from bucking, but when she took him all the way into her mouth with the tip hitting the back of her throat, his whole body jerked and he leaned his head back, moaning loudly in utter pleasure. He took a few ragged breaths, trying to come back down to earth. He spread her wider with his fingers, lapping, swirling, circling all over her opening, then sucking, not stopping until he'd had every last drop of her.

Nothing could have prepared Sasha for the onslaught of Joe's mouth. It worked expertly over her folds, alternating eager, frantic thrusts and licks of his tongue with the slow sucking of his lips, with the never-ending swirl of sensation coiling tightly in her body. Without warning he smacked her butt, eliciting a yelp from her. The sharp pain only served to intensify her pleasure. He didn't let up with his ministrations either, and letting out a strangled cry, her head dropped on his hip. "Oh god, yes…fuck…ohhhh." The last word was more of a groan than anything. Breathing hard, she slowly lifted her head back up and sucked him back in, twisting his length with her fist, trying to work him as hard as he was working her body.

"This ass," Joe's deep voice rumbled, smacking it again and squeezing. "Them big titties," he cupped her breast from inside her bra. "This sweet pussy right here?" He accentuated his words with another sucking kiss, and Sasha's moan was almost a scream. "Mine. All mine. Do you understand me?"

She released him briefly to glance behind her. "Yeah baby. All yours," she gasped and writhed, "Eat your pussy, big boy." She never used to be one for dirty talk, but that deep, sexy baritone voice of his took it to a whole new level, and she couldn't help but embrace the erogenous banter wholeheartedly.

Joe continued to fuck her with his tongue, running a hand up and down her back. In return, she sucked on his balls, only for him to counter by delving his tongue even deeper into her, his goatee tickling her sensitive area. Several minutes passed of each trying to one-up the other until it became too much for Sasha. "_Shit_..." She pushed herself up on her hands and arched her back, rolling her ass against his face. Joe smiled triumphantly, letting the sound of her breathless moans wash over him. This was his aim; to have her feeling so good that she stopped thinking and simply reacted to sensation. He let her grind on his face for a while before pushing her head back down to resume her assault on his dick. Sasha stayed on him, trying to keep her rhythm when all she really wanted to do was collapse in agonized ecstasy. She rolled her hips back and forth to keep riding his tongue while she sucked him, reveling in his low moans of approval. There was only this amazing moment between the two of them, locked in mutual, unbelievable pleasure.

"Baby, stop."

There was no way she'd heard him right. "_What?_"

He almost laughed at the incredulous tone in her voice. She sounded like she wanted to kick him and he didn't blame her. "I don't actually _mean_ stop. Turn over. I wanna come inside you." It was an effort on his part asking her to pause at all, but it was for a good cause as he knew he had very little control left in him. When she moved off him to take off her bra, he hastily grabbed his pants and retrieved a condom, rolling it on and stroking himself in anticipation for her. "Come here, baby girl. Come ride this dick."

Sasha was on him a flash, and his lips parted when she lowered herself onto him. She braced her hands by his head, and his breath caught when she began to ride him, her body sliding back and forth on his hard dick. Her full breasts jiggled with each move she made, and he couldn't help but take them into his big hands and pull her taut nipples. It paid off as Sasha moaned her pleasure. He then shifted his hands south to clinch her ass, enjoying how it flexed against his palms. She tucked her face into his neck, her hot breath fanning his skin, and he pressed his mouth to every part of her he could reach. The bed began to rock as her hips pistoned, their moans increasing in frequency as he met every roll of her body with deep, filling thrusts. The feeling was so good that neither wanted it to end.

"Fuck," Sasha whined, grabbing Joe's hair, "oh babe..."

He gripped her gyrating hips possessively, guiding her up and down his erection. "Is my girl about to come?" he asked, nibbling her earlobe.

"Yes," she panted, waves of ecstasy washing over her as she rode him faster and harder. "So fuckin' close, Joe."

"Look at me, beautiful. Let me watch you come," he said, pushing her head up to lock gazes with her. Her pupils were dark and dilated with desire, reflecting the passion he was feeling. He wrapped his arms around her middle and held her still against him, then pushing up on his heels, he thrust his hips up, pounding mercilessly into her pussy until her cries gave way to a shuddering scream. Her walls milked his dick greedily, triggering his own release, and Joe's groans and curses filled the room as he climaxed, emptying his hot load into the condom buried inside her. With a soft euphoric cry, Sasha laid limply on top of him, her body feeling like lead. That was so, so good. Several minutes passed before either moved, with their lips reintroducing themselves and legs and arms twining lazily together. The kiss went on and on until neither had the energy to continue.

* * *

"Does everyone in your family have grey eyes?"

Playing idly with his hair, Sasha grinned when Joe raised an eyebrow at her random question. Her nude body was stretched out on top of his own and he gently stroked her back. He wasn't set to leave for another couple of hours but if Joe had his way he'd never leave her bed.

"Just me, my mom and my oldest sister," he answered. "My dad, my brother and my other sister have brown eyes. We're split down the middle."

"I think it's cute that you're the baby of the family," said Sasha. "For starters, you don't look like the baby of any family."

"I get that a lot," he quipped, watching as she rested her free arm against his own. He marveled at the contrast of their skin tones; her caramel to his olive, her dark to his light. It was a beautiful sight.

"I bet your mom's still super-protective of you," Sasha said.

Joe shrugged, intertwining their fingers. "Every mother is super-protective of their kids. You probably know a thing or two about that," he smiled.

"And what about your fans?" She didn't have a Twitter or Facebook or any social media account, but Pam occasionally showed her some of the stuff the Shield's fans would post online. To label them as weird would be a gross – no pun intended – understatement. "They're certainly _possessive_ of the three of you," she noted.

Joe snickered at the creeped-out look on her face, knowing exactly what she was talking about. He'd encountered a few of them personally, and the experiences were interesting, to put it politely. "They're enthusiastic, that's for sure."

"They all want to fuck you or marry you or do something sexual with you. If they find out you're no longer single they gonna hunt me down and hang me by my damn nipples!" Sasha shivered in fear at the thought.

This time it was a full-blown laugh from the big man. "You got quite the imagination, baby girl. I get what you mean though. I'll admit they have their moments, but a lot of them are actually quite cool." Brushing her hair out of her eyes, he looked at her. "So does this mean we're keeping us quiet for a little longer?"

She was silent for a minute. She knew he wanted to at least tell his parents about her but she would be lying if she said she herself was ready. Placing a kiss on his chest, she said, "I know you want to tell your folks and all, baby, but I just got you. I would like to have you all to myself for a little longer. I like that we've been doing this quietly but I guess it's up to you. I'm just kinda terrified of being put out there."

"You? Terrified?" Joe scoffed. "Impossible. You're one of the feistiest, sassiest women I know."

"I am not sassy."

"Babe, that's like saying the sky isn't blue. You're sassy and I love that you are. It's such a turn-on. Hell, I'm getting hard just thinking about it."

Sasha shifted, and sure enough his arousal was poking her thigh. "Joe!" She smacked his arm.

"What?" He held his hands up innocently. "I'm just being honest."

"You're insatiable," she giggled.

"And you love it," he retorted, her laughter cut short when he rolled her onto her back. They stared into each other's eyes for one charged moment, and Sasha smiled, brushing her knuckles over his cheek. The gesture caused his heart to pound in his chest, filling him with an emotion he couldn't quite describe. Burying his hand in her hair, he kissed her deeply, swallowing her moans as he entered her and the magic began once again.

* * *

_**A/N: Ah, nothing sexier than pillow talk – and some good old loving, of course. Hope it wasn't too sappy. Another important topic popped up though. **__**Hmm.**_

_**I am so hating on Sasha right now, lol. I want a younger Adonis sexpot of a man too!**_

_**Top-to-bottoms, please! I'd love to know your thoughts on the update!**_


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N: So I've previously said that my character portrayal of T.K. was Roshon Fegan from the TV show 'Shake It Up' (I have a 16-year-old sister, forgive me, lol), but I just recently watched Glee and I literally saw T.K. looking me in the face. His name is Jacob Artist aka Jake Puckerman, and I realized he's perfect for T.K. I don't know how I never saw this since I quite like Glee, but yeah.**_

_**I've been recently accused of stealing this story from Tyler Perry movies. I'm not going to sit here and lie that his movies weren't an inspiration for ITDE. Yes a FEW scenes on here are from a particular movie of his and I've admittedly remixed some dialogue to make it my own. I'm sure I'm not the only writer in the history of this site to do something like that but if that's enough to put readers off my story then I apologize and bid you adieu. No hard feelings. But to say I outright stole the entire story is BS. Read up any of his movie plots and check if it's the same as what I've written. I have tons of research content on my laptop regarding most of the stuff I've written for this fic. I don't have kids, I'm not married. Hell, I'm not even American. Coming from a country in Africa, there aren't many single-parent families so I watch a lot of movies and read books and that's where I've gotten my information from.**_

_**I get that people love Tyler Perry films enough to have memorized them. As a qualified lawyer I have been taught the importance of plagiarism, and I do have an active, God-given imagination of my own, which is prevalent in my fics. So to call me out and say that I've stolen from somewhere else hurts my feelings as a writer. I got a review and two rude PMs and they made me unhappy and defensive and I just wanted to get that off my chest. The worst part is those 'critics' can't even tell the difference between 'your' and 'you're' which is just shameful IMO.**_

_***Deep breath* Anyway. Thank you to everyone else – **__SailingSoul, Alexis Black-Reigns, ghunter182003, Bharm, ItsGbruhh, justkimmy, clarembees, too much drama 1225, ChelleLew, DEREK-FREAKIN-HALE-IS-MINE, Tammy, nikki1335, DeeMarie426, broguekicking, CFierce116, benova13, Olivia Reigns, Shield316, wwefanatic365, IRENELOVE83, princessreigns, LuxuriaVanitas, Imafan21, AyannaCosta __**and the lovely **__Guest__** that called me out. I appreciate your reviews. Apologies for ranting. Enjoy 21!**_

* * *

It was a bright, sunny Saturday morning, and T.K. was hanging out at the outdoor basketball court in the local park, perched on the hood of Lamar's white Mercedes. He eyed his friend as he counted his earnings. T.K. knew exactly where the money came from but he didn't ask questions. He never did. It wasn't really his business what his friend did with his life. It didn't stop him however, from envying the fact that Lamar was his own man, independent with no one to answer to except the people he worked for.

"Yo, T.K. my man," Lamar crowed, wrapping the money with a rubber band before stuffing it into his pocket, "At this rate I'll be able to buy you some new sneakers soon."

Slightly taken aback, T.K. laughed away the discomfort he felt at the statement. The last thing he needed was his friend buying him anything. "Nah man, I told you those are my lucky shoes."

"Lucky shoes? Come on man. Those damn things are about to fall apart. I got a lot of money riding on you, Teek. I need you to be on your A-game."

"Oh please, he always on his A-game," Chanel retorted, her head on T.K.'s shoulder. The teenager smiled down at her, still unable to believe that the hottest girl in school was giving him the time of day. His mother would probably have a seizure if she saw the company he was currently keeping but he wasn't doing anything wrong.

As the gang watched the impromptu basketball game happening on the concrete court, a Range Rover pulled up across the street. T.K. peered through the chain-linked fence to see the window roll down halfway, and was completely surprised to see it was Joe.

Lamar had seen him as well. "Oh look, your best friend is here," he remarked.

"We ain't best friends," T.K. denied quickly.

Steve, their other friend, said, "He's dating your mom, right?"

"No," he lied. This was one of the reasons he wished Joe hadn't come into the picture. The teen didn't need anyone speculating about his mother's private life and getting in her business all of a sudden.

"That's not what I heard. But if he _is_ single, then hook a girl up," said Chanel. She licked her lips, her gaze zoomed in on the occupant of the Range Rover, "He so fuckin' hot. I don't mind gettin' on that stallion."

"You're such a slut," Lamar sneered.

"Hey, fuck you Jones! You just jealous you ain't never had this pussy before."

"You ain't got nothin' I ain't never taste before sweetheart."

"Asshole."

"Bitch."

Eager to get away from the arguing, T.K. slid off the hood of the Mercedes. "I'll be right back," he murmured, jogging across the street towards Joe's SUV. "What you doing here, man?"

Joe peered at the teenager through his Ray-Bans. "Your mom said I'd find you here."

"So?"

"I'm on my way to the gym. Wanted to get a little work out in for the day. Wanna come along?" Joe gauged the kid's expression, and could tell he was trying to play it cool while he decided whether to go with him or not. "You look ready to work out anyway," he goaded, pointing out his t-shirt and basketball shorts combo. "Come on. It'll be fun."

Honestly, T.K. couldn't resist. He'd be absolutely stupid if he didn't take the offer. He knew the gym the WWE wrestlers went to and he'd always wanted to work out there. He could always hang out with his boys another time. "Give me a second." Crossing the street again, he grabbed his bag off the top of the Mercedes. "I gotta go, guys."

Lamar raised an eyebrow. "What, he your daddy now? Come to pick you up from the playground?" he said derisively.

"Dude, don't be like that."

"Nah dawg, we get it. Go hang with your new best friend."

"It ain't like that, man," T.K. defended himself. He knew that deep down Lamar was just jealous. He was also a wrestling fan and had he been in T.K.'s shoes he'd have done the exact same thing. "Look, I'll see y'all tomorrow." He kissed a pouting Chanel's cheek and left, joining the Samoan inside the Range Rover.

"Your leg's better?" T.K. questioned, interrupting the silence between him and Joe.

"Yeah. I can finally work out, thank God." He changed the radio station and turned down the volume. "Your friend's car is nice," he stated.

The smile on the teenager's face instantly vanished, disliking the disapproving tone in the Samoan's voice. "Let me guess. Mom told you Lamar's the devil's incarnate?"

"She said no such thing," Joe answered calmly, keeping his eyes on the road. "And his car _is_ nice."

"Is that the real reason you picked me up? To tell me to stay away from him too?" T.K. accused, "You gonna sit there and pass judgment on someone you don't know?"

Joe snickered, shaking his head. "Trust me man, I'm the last person that should be judging anybody," he said, taking a right, "I just wanted you to come hang out with us. I know you're big on wrestling and stuff."

"Who's 'us'?"

"A few of the guys from work. Ambrose, Rollins, Cesaro, Big E, a couple of others," he rattled off, glancing briefly at T.K. to see his face lit up. "This is the only time we have before we head back out tomorrow and I asked them if you could join us."

T.K. was surprised. He read that most wrestlers didn't often let other people into their circle, no matter how long for, so to know they had agreed, and that Joe had gone to bat for him, was pretty awesome. "Thanks."

"No problem."

When they walked into the gym, T.K.'s eyes were huge. He'd passed this place a number of times and had even entered once. It was very intimidating in a cool kind of way. It was clearly where the big boys came to play and he imagined membership cost a fortune. Meeting the guys was even cooler. He'd met Jon and Colby before, and with them were Cesaro, whose real name was Claudio Castagnoli, Ettore Ewen, who wrestled as Big E, and Sheamus, also known as Ste Farrelly. T.K. stood amongst the men as the group discussed workout plans, doing his best not to look as star struck as he felt.

"So what do you want to start with, man?" Joe asked T.K.

"You're the experts," he answered. "Which one should I start with?"

"It depends on you," said Claudio. "Everyone has something that works for them. Colby and I start off with Cross Fit, Jon does cardio, and Joe and E do the weights first."

"In my school's wrestling and basketball teams we do cardio first," said T.K. "But I've never done Cross Fit before."

"Then Cross Fit it is, my man," Colby announced, throwing an arm around the teen's shoulders and leading him to the far corner of the gym, Claudio laughing as he followed behind. Jon leaned towards Joe. "They're gonna kill him," he said, making the big man laugh.

T.K. never realized just how much work went into the conditioning of a WWE Superstar, but if the next two hours was any idea of what it took, then he had definitely underestimated these men. He collapsed on the floor in a sweaty heap, his arms spread out at his sides, breaths tearing in and out of his lungs. He ached _everywhere_. If they really did this every day then they were fucking badasses. "I think I'm gonna die," he groaned.

"Naw man, we're just getting started!" Colby bounced from foot to foot, with Claudio grinning and looking like he'd barely moved an inch. Joe burst out laughing at the horrified expression on the teenager's face. "Dude, give the kid a rest," he said.

"I'm not a kid. And I'm okay, I can keep going," T.K. insisted, not wanting to look like a chump in front of the WWE Superstars. But Joe shook his head. "Don't do that. The macho thing. If you overwork yourself you'll only end up getting seriously injured. So if you can't continue, don't."

"We all should take a break anyway," Ettore suggested, settling down on the floor beside T.K., and the others followed suit, sitting Indian-style in a circle. "So T.K., you wrestle in school?" Ettore broke the ice, taking a swig of his water.

"Yeah, and I also play varsity basketball. Power forward," he answered, accepting the Quest nutrition bar Colby offered him with thanks. "Wrestling's in its offseason so I've been concentrating on basketball. We just made it to the regional semis. It's my last set of games before I graduate so I'm doing everything I can to help the team win the trophy."

"Any college plans?"

"I'm looking at basketball and wrestling scholarships from a couple of schools. I need to up my grades a bit more but I'm keeping my fingers crossed."

"Good luck to you, fella," said Ste, "College is a great experience."

"I heard that a lot of wrestlers quit college to follow their dream of wrestling," T.K. said, looking round at the rest of them.

"_I_ had to," said Colby, "It was a tough decision, because it was impossible to get trained and go to college at the same time. Getting trained takes up all of your free time. It had to be one or the other."

"College is a huge advantage though," said Joe. "You never know what might happen with a sporting career so with a college degree you'd at least have something to fall back on. You do have to choose because they both need a hundred percent of your time. I didn't finish College and I don't know if I'll ever get to, but I'd like to."

"My own opinion, if you have the chance to go to College, do that first. It's really important," said Ettore, and the rest of the guys voiced their agreement. T.K. nodded reverently, taking every word they said to heart. This was solid advice in his opinion, advice he would never have heard had he allowed himself to stay with Lamar.

A little while later, Joe managed to get T.K. alone. "Got a minute?"

T.K. sent a smile his way. "Sure." It was clear that he was thoroughly enjoying his day with the guys and nothing much could be done to ruin this great day. Joe had a feeling what he had to say might just do that.

"I asked your mom if she'd like to come on the road with me."

He had T.K.'s full attention now. "Really?"

"Yeah." He scratched the back of his head, slightly unnerved by the teen's penetrative stare. "I didn't say she had to, I just meant, if she ever wanted to. I asked her to give it some thought. Obviously I'd like her to say yes, but if she says no, then I'll accept that. I just thought you should know."

"Is that why you asked me to hang out?" asked T.K., his voice laced with aggression as he crossed his arms. "To butter me up?"

Joe fought back a sigh. He really was Sasha's son – wary and apprehensive and questioning motives. Trust didn't come easy to them but he understood why, so he let it slide. "No. I was never going to take your mom anywhere without at least telling you. And like I said I invited you here because I genuinely thought you'd be interested in meeting the guys."

He shifted from foot to foot, and T.K. felt his anger dilute to amusement. He wasn't going to stand there and say he didn't have a fun morning, but knowing he could make this big guy squirm simply because he was the son of the woman he was dating was a bit of an ego trip. He chose to go easy on him. "It's fine, Joe. Mom can go anywhere she wants. My opinion shouldn't matter."

"Well, it matters to her and ultimately, to me," said Joe. "You and Mia come first before anyone else in her life and if you said no, she would've listened to you and there's nothing I can do about it. She could easily dump me tomorrow but you two will always be there. So _you_ have the power, my man." He playfully punched T.K.'s shoulder, causing the teen to smile.

"Nah, she ain't dumpin' you anytime soon," he assured Joe. "For the last couple of months she's been a lot happier and it's all because of you. You make her happy."

"And she makes me happy," Joe admitted. He rotated his tattooed wrist, a little smile forming on his lips as Sasha's beautiful face flashed before his eyes. "And I'll keep trying to make her happy for as long as she'll have me."

T.K. patted the older man's shoulder. "Good to know. Because I still plan on kicking your ass if you ever mess up."

"If that happens, kid, you have my permission to."

"I'm not a kid."

"Oops. My bad, kid."

* * *

"Mama, what song should I pick for my solo?" Sasha heard her daughter's voice as the eight-year strolled into the kitchen, accompanied by a pair of identical twins. Sasha glanced over at the other woman inside the kitchen with a knowing smile, both prepared for the debate that was about to commence. "Have Gabby and Regina given their opinions?" she asked Mia.

Gabby, the twin with shoulder-length dark hair and the baggy clothes put in her two cents. "I told her to choose anything but Adele or Taylor Swift, because they're lame."

"They're not lame," Regina, the twin with waist-length hair, the short skirt and shiny lip gloss retorted. "Just because they don't ruin our eardrums like all those Green Day people you listen to doesn't make them lame."

"I like Green Day," Cheryl, the twins' mother chimed in, shutting the fridge. Gabby nodded in agreement. "At least their music makes sense. All Adele and Taylor Swift do is whine, like Regina," she sneered, always up for pushing her sister's buttons. And as always, Regina took the bait.

"Shut up, Gabby!"

"_You_ shut up!"

"Hey, no fighting!" Cheryl admonished. "Have you finished your homework?"

"True," said Sasha, handing her daughter a glass of apple juice. "No dancing until you've finished your homework."

"I'm almost done, Mama, we're on a break," said Mia. "Aunt Pam gave us a week for the solo. It's a hip-hop piece. I'm thinking an Usher song. I know you love Usher."

"Me too," Regina sighed, "He's so dreamy."

"Regina Lilia, you are nine years old! What do you know about dreamy?" asked Cheryl.

"Yeah Regina Lilia, what do you know?" Gabby taunted.

"More than _you_ know, Gabriella Ana," Regina shot back, and the bickering started again. Mia just stood by with her hands on her hips, shaking her little head at Sasha as though to say 'This is what I deal with every day, mom', and the over-the-top gesture made Sasha laugh.

"Alright, out! All three of you! Break's over, go finish your homework!" Cheryl pointed at the exit, rolling her eyes as the three girls bickered their way out of the kitchen. Sasha watched Cheryl, biting her lip nervously. Since she got to the Hernandez's home she'd been trying to work up the nerve to talk to her about what she was thinking about. "I have a favor to ask you," she said, settling on the roundabout approach.

Re-tying her long dark hair behind her, Cheryl brushed her sundress. It amazed Sasha how fabulous the Hawaiian woman always managed to look no matter what she was doing. "Sure, honey. You know if I can help in any way, I will."

She did, which was why she felt bad asking Cheryl if she could watch her daughter while she gallivanted around the country with her boy-toy wrestler boyfriend. "I'm thinking of traveling for a few days," she started. "Nothing concrete yet, the plans are still tentative. But if it happens, I was wondering if Mia could stay with you while I was gone."

Reggie's wife smiled at her. "You know you don't need to ask. Mimi's always welcome here anytime. Where are you thinking of going? Is it with Pam?"

"No." She cleared her throat when the other woman tilted her head curiously. "It's…um, Joe."

"Oh," Cheryl echoed, her eyes suddenly brightening.

"Yeah," Sasha drawled. "He asked me to come on the road with him. I wasn't sure about taking T.K. and Mia because I don't know what the environment is like."

"How is it going with you two anyway?" said Cheryl. "You're together now?"

"Yeah. It only got official a couple of weeks ago but we've been quiet about it."

"Quiet is good. He's in the spotlight so much these days so it's nice to keep some things private." Cheryl smiled. "Reggie told me he sends you flowers at work."

"Yeah."

"So he's been good to you? He makes time for you despite being on the road?"

"He's been wonderful. With me and the kids. When Mia was sick, he came over with a gift for her. He and T.K. aren't best friends but it's been much better than I expected. He calls me and we talk and he texts me whenever he can."

"What about in bed? Something tells me that's going _really_ well judging from how much you've been glowing recently." Her grin widened when Sasha shyly chewed on her lip. "That good, huh?"

"Oh you have no idea." Her sex life had hit new heights since getting with Joe. Their little 'arrangement' continued, with her eagerly planning in advance for when he got back from his travels. Sometimes it happened on the fly, which made things even more exciting. Their last tryst was an unforgettable, day-long affair when they had sex in nearly every room in his house. The boy was a god in bed. He knew exactly how to turn her body inside out, how to make her scream and beg for more, how to coax her to take that one extra step over her limits to please him. She learned something new every time, like positions she never knew her older body could be twisted into and decibels she never realized her vocals could reach. And when they weren't doing that, they were hanging out with T.K. and Mia, going on romantic dates or just spending time alone with each other. Sasha realized just how much she cherished being with Joe, especially since his work took him away so often. And now that he was gone again she was missing him something awful. She hadn't been intimate with a man in years but with him she had more than made up for the lost time. "He don't even need to touch me, he just looks at me and…" she trailed off with a shiver, smiling like a complete idiot.

"That's the best kind of sex, with a man who knows what the hell he's doing. It's even better when he isn't in his prime yet," said Cheryl. "You've hit the jackpot, girl. A hot young stud of a boyfriend."

"He certainly makes me feel younger."

"I can tell. So why are you hesitating on your plans with him?"

Sasha's fingers drummed nervously on the countertop. "I've never really done this before, or even considered it. I've never left Tampa in my life, and doing so, leaving my kids behind…it's going to feel strange."

Cheryl turned to face her fully. "I understand what you mean, hun. This is all new to you. Dating a wrestler can't be easy. They're away from loved ones for so long. Which is why you should spend as much time with him as possible. I know you're thinking about Mia and T.K. but you need some 'you' time too. Reggie and I make sure we have those, too. I think you should go with Joe. You say you've never traveled before, right? There's a first time for everything. Think of this as your first real adventure."

"I don't want to burden you and Reggie."

"Oh, don't be silly. Mia has spent a few weekends with the girls before. This won't be any different. And the girls obviously won't mind. It's entirely your decision of course, but if you do decide to go, do not hesitate to bring Mia this way, okay?" Cheryl smiled, thoroughly enjoying the other woman's reaction. She hadn't known her as long as her husband, but she'd become just as fond of her. "Oh Sasha, I'm so happy for you. Look how happy you are."

Sasha smiled. "Thanks. It's still kinda surreal. Joe is amazing and men like him don't happen to me, ya know?"

"Maybe this is just the beginning of something good for you. I do hope so." Cheryl was an observant woman, and she could see in Sasha's eyes that she was falling in love with Joe. But she wouldn't say anything because Sasha would most likely panic. She needed to realize it for herself and accept it otherwise she wouldn't embrace it the way she should.

Sasha looked down at her phone as it buzzed a text message from Pam.

_Ooh babe u famous now! ;P check this out._

It was a website address. Curious, Sasha's eyebrow raised in puzzlement. "Can I use your laptop, Cher?"

"Sure. You know where it's at."

Settling in front of the laptop, Sasha typed in the web address Pam had listed in her text. It was one of those wrestling sites Pam had shown her a few times before. Clicking the page, what she saw caused her jaw to drop. Her stomach plummeted and her heart began to race.

It was a blown-up picture of her sitting with Joe at T.K.'s last basketball game, holding hands and looking particularly cozy. Above the photo was the caption:

_NEW PHOTOS OF ROMAN REIGNS AND HIS NEW GIRLFRIEND. Click Here._

"Oh God."

* * *

_**Uh oh.**_

_**So much to discuss. Thoughts, loves?**_


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N: Thank you to **__AyannaCosta, Bharm, ChelleLew, justkimmy, clarembees, ItsGbruhh, ScreamAndShout-LetItAllOut, Olivia Reigns, nikki1335, LuxuriaVanitas, DeeMarie426, IRENELOVE83, Tammy, Shield316, Ctinaisfashion, broguekicking, princessreigns, benova13, CFierce116, GushyMcGushGush, caleb's babe, wwefanatic365 __**and **__ItReignsJustice-619__** for the last feedback. Thanks also to all the new favorites andfollows. It's still surprising how many of you are invested this story. After all it's not an Ambrose story, which seems to get a lot of attention, and it isn't about a young WWE Diva-in-training either. It amazes me. I just hope I'm doing it justice and you're all enjoying it. Let me know if you're not. I'll take it like a man this time, lol.**_

Joe shifted in his tight seat, frustrated and uncomfortable. He was onboard his flight to Tampa from Seattle, and they'd been awaiting takeoff for ages. Jon was probably back in Las Vegas by now and for that Joe envied him. He checked his watch. They should have been in the air fifteen minutes ago. That was fifteen minutes too long to Joe as it only kept him away from his girl for longer. One month was more than enough and the extra fifteen minutes felt like a lifetime.

It had been an interesting week for him and Sasha. The wrestling dirt sheets had gone rife with the outing of their relationship, with the pictures posted everywhere and inviting comments from fans. Some had even tweeted asking him to confirm it but he ignored them all because it was really nobody's business. Personally, Joe didn't understand the media's obsession with celebrities. Not that he considered himself to be one. He was just a wrestler that a lot of people knew about. Why his relationship was making headline news anywhere was what he did not comprehend. What he and Sasha were doing was private and between the two of them. Of course, there was nothing he could do about it now. It was out there, and he would have to deal with it the best way he could.

Though she hadn't suffered a meltdown like he'd feared, Sasha was still very unhappy about it all. She wasn't taking the comments made about her by the fangirls kindly and he didn't blame her. Some of them were rather nasty. Thanks to social media he was used to all the near-rabid attention, but _she_ wasn't. She seemed to shun the spotlight, another trait that Joe found attractive about her. The two of them would have to find a way to work through this aspect of his career if their relationship was going to be strong. This probably wasn't going to be the last time something like this would happen. Fans clamored for dirt about their favorite wrestlers and the sheets didn't care how they got it as long as they did and their websites got more hits in the process.

Right now, none of that mattered. All he cared about was getting back to Tampa and burying himself deep inside his girlfriend. There was only so much phone sex could do. And speaking of...

Switching from his infuriating game of Candy Crush, he tweeted a complaint about the flight delay before sending Sasha a text. _This is bullshit. Shoulda taken off 15mins ago._

Her response was quick. _Sorry, hun. It's just 15 mins. U'll b home soon :)_

_I hate delays. And I miss u :(_

_I miss u too baby. Hope u got my D Bry shirt_

He grinned. _I think I forgot. Oops :p_

_Then don't bother comin home :P Saw anthr comment online today btw. It was a nice one this time._

Sighing heavily, Joe immediately dialed her number and waited for her to pick up. "I thought we agreed to stop monitoring that shit, Sasha."

"I knew you'd call once I said that," she laughed. "I can't help myself. It's like a car wreck and you can't just look away. I'm just curious about what your fans are saying."

"I love the fans but what they say shouldn't matter," said Joe. "If you listen to every single thing they say you're only going to feel bad about yourself."

"I know," she sighed. "It's weird seeing people talk about me. I don't know how you do it."

Reaching into his bag, he took out a small orange bottle, retrieved two pills from it and popped them into his mouth. "I'm used to it. It's only been a week but it will all die down soon. They'll find someone else to bitch about in no time."

"Well they better hurry up," she said, pausing when Joe yawned. "You must be exhausted."

"I just wanna get home. I hope you were joking about the shirt thing. I legit forgot about it."

"If you ain't got my shirt then stay in Seattle," she answered in a deadpan voice. "How am I supposed to support my favorite wrestler without my merch?"

"I thought _I _was your favorite," Joe pouted.

"Sorry handsome, but you haven't quite convinced me into making you my favorite."

"Really? So me fuckin' you into the mattress on the daily ain't enough?" he taunted.

Good Lord, the way he said that. Sensual heat pierced her so intensely that she nearly groaned out loud. "Close, but no cigar, big boy," she retorted after composing herself.

Joe's voice dropped another octave. "Is that a challenge, Morgan?"

He really was trying to get her hot and bothered, wasn't he? "Call it what you want, Anoa'i."

He started to say more but stopped when he saw Colby coming back. The last thing he wanted was his friend listening in on him dirty-talking to his girlfriend. "I gotta go," he said, "I'll text you when I land."

"Have a safe flight. Say hi to Colby."

"I will. I'll see you soon, baby girl. And for God's sake, stay away from the internet."

She laughed. "Fine."

"Thank you." He hung up just as Colby returned to his seat next to Joe. "So how is she?" Colby asked, fastening his seat belt. "Yes, I know it was your girlfriend on the phone. You got that goofy-ass look on your face, like the one you all say I have every time I talk to Lauren."

Joe rolled his eyes at the all-knowing expression on his friend's face. "Fine, it was her. Happy?" He scrolled through the music on his phone, stopping at Billie Myers' 'Kiss the Rain'. He grew to like the song after Sasha had played it to him once, telling him to listen to it whenever he was away and he missed her, which was all the time. He was surprised the song wasn't on repeat. Looking out the tiny window on the plane, he frowned. "Can this plane fuckin' move now?" he growled.

Colby chuckled. "Dude, chill. You're going to see her soon. I know you're a man in love but jeez." He rolled his eyes for emphasis.

His friend's words, joking or not, hit the Samoan hard, right in the chest, and he felt like he couldn't breathe. "What makes you think I'm in love?" he asked, very carefully.

"Leati Joseph." The youngest Shield member shot him a look of sympathy. "You are _so_ gone. I think you went weeks ago, to be honest." He laughed when Joe stared at him, speechless. "Don't look so shocked. It's no surprise at all. Sasha is a sweetheart and she's a strong beautiful woman. It's easy to see why anyone would fall for her. You're a lucky man, G.I. Embrace it."

Was he in love? Joe pondered that thought. He couldn't honestly say he'd ever been in love before. He thought he loved Andrea, it only turned out he had just been trying to do the right thing. After her, there was no one else he had held remotely amorous feelings for. Not until now. Though he knew his feelings for Sasha ran deep, he was fairly certain he wasn't quite there yet. Falling hard and fast? Yes. But not quite yet.

Nope. Not yet.

* * *

"I shoulda never shown you this shit," Pam clicked her teeth, confiscating her iPad from Sasha. "You obsessed, girl."

"I'm not obsessed."

"Yes you are. It's been a week. How about you listen to me and Joe and stop?"

She wanted to stop. She really did. But she was still utterly fascinated by all of it; how many pictures had been taken of her and Joe, six in total – obviously one of the many kids at T.K.'s basketball game that day had followed Sasha and Joe around, which she thought was creepy – how swiftly the photos had spread across social media and how quickly people had rushed to comment on them. People who had never met her, people she didn't know, but they suddenly thought they knew everything about her just from a couple of still shots. Maybe she was a glutton for punishment because she couldn't stop reading through all the comments she could find, taking the negative ones to heart.

_Omg they look so cute together. She's so lucky *heart eyes*_

_Is that really his girlfriend? Not impressed._

_She looks older than him._

_She's hot! Check out dat azz!_

_They don't look good together. He deserves someone hotter. Like me :p #sorrynotsorry_

_She looks like his mom or aunt. #cougar_

_H8ers gonna hate, she's screwing Roman and ur not._

_Lol I know this ho didn't just steal my man!_

_Omg she's pretty and she's sooooooo lucky stop hatin and be happy for him_

_Lol didnt know Roman Reigns was into ratchet_

And those had been the nicer ones. Joe said he was used to the attention and scrutiny. How could anyone ever get used to their business being posted online for the world to see and comment on? And it wasn't just her suffering the repercussions. Apparently T.K. was ignoring incessant questions at school. He was cool and calm about it and kept brushing off Sasha's apologies, but that was what hurt the mother-of-two the most, knowing that he was going through that because of her.

Of course, as usual, Pam was there to pick her up. "I told you, ignore them heffas. They hatin' on you because they want what you got. Don't pay no mind to nobody. You do you, and more importantly, do _your_ man." She winked at her best friend. "Speaking of, he's on his way home, right?"

"Yeah. There's a flight delay but he'll be in town in a couple of hours."

"You said he talked to you about visiting his family?"

Sasha bit her lip nervously. "Yeah."

Pam watched her. "And? Do you want to?"

Sasha had mused over this for quite a while now, and this was the first time she was voicing her thoughts out loud. "Yes and no. As much as I want to meet the people most important to him, I'm scared. I've heard a bit about his family from Reggie, and apparently they're very, very protective. They're like royalty in the wrestling world. I know Joe is his own man but there's no way he isn't influenced by his family and he listens to what they tell him. I'm scared they'll turn up their noses at me like everyone else."

Pam sighed. "By everyone else you mean Trevor's people."

Trevor's parents had disliked Sasha on sight. A Harvard Law School graduate had no business being in a relationship with a woman who had two small children and no job. His family had convinced him she had nothing to offer him. Eventually, the pressure caused him to reluctantly walk away. Sasha never forgot it. With a family as large and prestigious as Joe's, who was to say it wouldn't happen again, on an even bigger scale too.

"Honestly, I feel you," said Pam. "Meeting the parents is daunting. But you'll be fine. All I can tell you is when you do meet them, you hold your head high. You know who you are and you're not ashamed of it, and no one, not even a bunch of giant wrestling Samoans should make you feel otherwise."

"Right. So basically hope for the best but expect the worst," Sasha smirked.

"Hey, you said that, not me," Pam said, "Now next on the agenda; when are you going on the road with him?"

"I haven't made that decision yet either."

"The fuck is taking you so long? Ty said yes, right?"

Sasha nodded. She remembered how her jaw had dropped when her son told her she could go with Joe. Apparently the Samoan had talked to him and smoothed things over, which just made him that much more wonderful in the mother-of-two's eyes. Mia was okay with it as well, as long as she came back with AJ Lee's autograph.

"And Cheryl's agreed to keep Mia. So everything else is sorted," said Pam. "Now when Joe gets back, the first thing you ask him is when he's heading back out and what time will he pick you up."

Sasha had a look of amusement on her face. "Yes ma'am. Will you come along too?"

Pam rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I would _love_ to come along and be a third wheel. But I'm busy. Plus I think I'd rather spend time with my own man," she said, patting the ends of her hair proudly.

"I still can't believe you're dating Elgin and you didn't tell me sooner." Sasha shook her head but she was smiling, happy for her friend.

"Because it ain't about my love life, trick. It's about yours."

Sasha raised an eyebrow. "And who decreed that?"

"I did," Pam said. "It's same old, same old with me. Only difference this time is Elgin's hung around a little longer than the others. I've been waiting for a guy like Joe to happen to you forever. And now that it's happened you take center stage, honey. And you are going on the road ASAP. Case closed." With that, she got to her feet and pulled Sasha's hand. "Now that we've agreed, we need to decide what you gotta pack. First off, the essentials, which is either your tiniest bikini or your warmest winter coat, 'cause you never know where you might be going. Make sure you ask him."

Sasha didn't recall when she'd agreed with Pam, but contesting her was a futile exercise. "I keep telling you, you're better equipped for this stuff than me," she laughed, allowing the petite woman to drag her into her bedroom.

* * *

Despite his six-hour-long flight, Joe insisted on coming to Sasha's. It was nearer to the airport than his house and he just needed to see her. When she opened the door to her apartment and he saw her standing there, he knew instantly that he'd made the right decision.

Stepping forward, Sasha threw her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. She shut her eyes and breathed him in, and it was like a breath of fresh air. His arms circled her waist, and he lifted her off her feet in a massive hug that could easily have made up for the month they spent apart.

"It feels so damn good to hold you again, baby girl," Joe whispered, turning to mush when Sasha cupped his face and planted light, sweet kisses on his lips, and after they broke apart, he had to take a moment to remember what he was saying. "Mm, that was nice. Can I have more later?"

Sasha giggled. "Sure."

"I hate being away from you for so long."

"I hate it too, because I miss you so much," she admitted, kissing his cheek. "But you have to work. And I know how much you love your work."

"Not as much as I love you," he had almost said, but he stopped himself just in time. Was he crazy? He saw her running in the opposite direction screaming if he ever uttered those words to her. _Damn you Lopez for putting that shit in my head._

He set her back on her feet and listened with half an ear to her apologies for the state of the apartment and her appearance. She had rushed back home after work when he informed her that he was making the detour to her place. But he thought she looked fabulous, tousled and real and like the hard-working woman that she was.

"I made you lunch," she declared, taking him by the hand and leading him into the kitchen area.

"You didn't have to."

"Of course I did. You must be starving." She turned around, a plate full of food in her hand, halting when she saw him toss something into his mouth. "What was that?"

Joe took a gulp of his water. "Just a painkiller."

"I didn't know you still needed them," Sasha said.

"I've been sore from two nights ago, but it's no big deal." He narrowed his eyes at the look on her face. "I'm not overdosing if that's what you're thinking."

She frowned. "I never said you were."

"The look on your face says otherwise," he challenged.

Her head tilted to the side in part anger and confusion. Why was he being testy with her? "Is everything okay?"

Tempted to make a snide retort, he held his tongue, exhaling heavily. Clenching his jaw, he rubbed his face. "I'm sorry, babe. I'm just tired and running low on sleep."

She could _see_ how tired he was, and it seemed to get worse every time he returned home. She was worried, but he was an adult and he knew his body's limits. Plus she didn't really want to get into an argument after having not seen him in ages. "I just want you to be careful," she told him.

"I am. I promise."

Their eyes met, holding each other's gaze softly, and Sasha relented. "Alright." She set the plate in front of him. "Now eat."

There was silence in the kitchen as she sat across from him, watching him wolf down his food. "Mm, this is really good," he remarked in between bites.

"Thanks." She smiled back when he gave her a grateful smile as he continued eating. "So when are you off again?" she asked.

"Jeez beautiful, I just got back," Joe answered playfully. "You chasin' me away already?"

"No. I just want to know when and what I need to pack for your next trip." Her grin widened when, in quite the comical visual, he stopped suddenly, his fork hanging in midair as he gaped at her. "For real?" he finally spluttered.

"Yeah. I'm coming this time. I'd like to know more about what it's like for you on the road. It's such a big part of your life but I know very little about it. I'd like to see for myself. I think it'll be fun. And who knows? Maybe we could throw in that visit with your parents," she added, and Joe's eyes widened even more. "You've mentioned it a couple of times, so we might as well."

Joe was taken aback. He never thought she'd agree to both. "Are you sure? I don't want you to feel like you have to do any of this."

Sasha shrugged. "I might be all over the internet right now but I ain't gonna let that shit get in the way of an adventure. I've made up my mind. I wanna go. It's up to you to give the green light."

If he smiled any wider his face was going to split in two. He leaned over and kissed her lips wholeheartedly. "Baby girl, you have no idea how ecstatic I am right now."

She knew he would be. She'd agreed to it mainly because of him. She could tell he really wanted this and after everything he'd done for her, it was the least she could do. Besides, she figured it _would_ be fun. She'd taken chance after chance when it came to the Samoan and she was yet to regret any of them. Sasha could only hope that her hot streak continued with this trip.

* * *

_**Final update for a while. I have exams and I've realized I'm concentrating on this fic waaaaaay too much. But that's only because I'm enjoying writing Joe and Sasha's journey so much. I almost feel like I know them now, lol. But sadly, you won't see any more updates from me until the end of July. Sorry you have to wait so long, it's just what it is.**_

_**Buckle your seatbelts for the next part of this fic. It's going to be nothing like you've seen in the previous chapters. I've had a lot of fun writing the drafts and can't wait to show it to you all.**_

_**In the meantime, thoughts about 22?**_


	23. Chapter 23

_**A/N: Thank you all for the favorites and follows. Big shout out to **__ItsGbruhh__, Tammy, __Bharm__, __broguekicking__, __Imafan21__, __CFierce116__, __AyannaCosta__, __justkimmy__, Sasha, __StilesBelongsWithMe'Bruh__, __ChelleLew__, __benova13__, __DeeMarie426__, __ItReignsJustice-619__, __princessreigns__, __nikki1335__, __shakeitsalome, __IRENELOVE83, __wwefanatic365 __**and**__ Olivia Reigns __**for the reviews! Always deeply appreciated!**_

_**LOL I still have exams but I couldn't stay away! Had to get this update out. **_

_**A/A/N: there's no real timeline in this fic. This is my own little universe going on, not following WWE timeline.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

She felt like she was being deployed to some war-torn country. Like she was going away to the other side of the world and wasn't returning for six months. In reality it was only the other end of Florida for about a week but it didn't make Sasha feel any less sad. Cheryl and the twins came to the apartment to pick Mia up and she'd had to fight back tears as she shepherded her daughter into the car. T.K. was already gone. She wasn't going to see her babies for an entire week and it was enough to make her eyes water.

On the bright side, she was going to Miami. Sasha still couldn't believe it. The mother-of-two had always wanted to go there and now that it was about to happen, she couldn't wait. It was even better that she was going there to watch her boyfriend do what he loved to do.

Joe and Jon picked her up from the apartment in the rental SUV they were using for the six-hour-long trip. There was a last-minute addition to the group in Colby as his travel plans apparently got screwed up. As Joe helped her load her little carry-on suitcase into the truck, she spoke in passing, "By the way, if you guys need me to drive at any point I'm at your service."

"You can drive?" said Jon.

"I didn't know that," said Joe.

"A couple of years ago I applied for a job that required driving skills. Did all the driving lessons and tests, got the license and everything, only to not get the job in the end. I've driven Pam's car several times. I just don't have one of my own. Luckily my license hasn't expired yet so like I said, if you need me."

"Cool," said Jon. "The more the merrier." They divided up the driving duties, with Jon taking the wheel first and Colby in the passenger's side. Joe and Sasha spent their time in the back seat taking selfies and making out, causing the two in front to roll their eyes and make fun of them, all of which of course fell on deaf ears. Following a quick bathroom break a few hours later, Jon and Joe then sat in the back, with the big man fighting the urge to cover his ears as Colby and Sasha happily rocked out to the songs playing on the radio. His woman was fine as hell but the singing needed some work. And by some, he meant a lot. Not that he would say it to her face. But she seemed to feel better about being away from the kids so he didn't really mind. Sasha took over on the third lap while the boys slept, and Joe finished off the six-hour journey.

They arrived at Miami a little before noon. They settled quickly into their hotel rooms – Colby shared one with Claudio Castagnoli while Joe and Jon had another. Sasha dropped down on Joe's bed, exhausted from the trip. She was surprised, however, to see Joe changing into gym wear. "What's going on?" she asked, even more confused when Jon appeared from the bathroom in a similar getup.

"We're heading to the gym for a couple of hours," said Joe, completely surprising Sasha.

"But you just got here. Won't you get any rest at all?"

"We have to work out otherwise we'll feel fucked up and lethargic. I'll catch some shut-eye when I get back." Joe had changed into an Under Armour tank top, basketball shorts and sneakers. His Beats headphones were around his neck and he slung a small bag over his shoulder. Sasha was amazed. Cramped up in a car for over six hours and all they wanted to do was work out?

A loud knock on the door caused her to jump. "Yo come on! Let's go, let's go!" Colby shouted from the other side.

Jon was out the door, and Joe gave Sasha a quick kiss. "You look tired babe. Get some sleep. Call me if you need anything." Before she knew it the door was shut and she was all alone in the hotel room. It was like a hurricane had passed through. Wow. Left with nothing to do, she gave T.K. a call, and then phoned Cheryl to talk with Mia and touch base, assuring them she was fine and she missed them already. She unpacked a few things and took a quick shower before returning to Joe's bed. The mattress and pillows were super soft and the blankets were warm. It didn't take long before she fell asleep.

She awoke a little later and found Joe sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down at her with a small smile on his face. He wasn't in his gym clothes anymore. To her left she saw Jon in his bed, asleep. "When did y'all get back?" she asked Joe, breathing him in. He'd obviously just had a shower.

"About an hour ago. You were sleeping and I didn't want to disturb you." He patted a small box on the bedside table. "I got you something to eat. I hope a chicken sandwich is okay. We'll grab some real lunch before we head out to the arena."

"It's perfectly fine. Thanks baby. How much time do we have left?"

"About three hours. We need to be at the arena by five-thirty for the show at eight." He paused, tilting his head curiously when he noticed how intently she was staring at him. "There something on my face?"

"No." She reached up to graze her fingernails along his jawline. "You're just beautiful to look at."

A warm smile spread across his face, and he brought her hand to his lips. "Not as beautiful as you are, baby girl."

She patted the space on the bed beside her. "You need to rest, handsome. Get in. Lay with me."

"You're not gonna eat?" He swung his legs onto the bed.

"I'll eat later. I want you to rest," Sasha replied. "Give me your phone so I'll set an alarm in case we fall asleep."

He handed her his phone and stretched out on the bed. When she was done, she locked his phone back, leaned over him to set it on the table and crawled back under the covers with him. She lay on her back while he was on his side facing her. The ambience of the hotel room was peaceful and quiet, which was what Sasha felt Joe needed before embarking on the chaos of the evening. He was propped up on his elbow, watching her like he was doing before she awoke. "Resting involves closing your eyes, babe," she said.

"I'd rather keep them open so I can stare at you," he smiled.

"Creep. Better idea. How about you kiss me instead?" she said, grinning when he indulged her. She giggled and responded in kind, her hand closing around the back of his neck. His propped arm wound around her shoulders while his other hand glided casually up her thigh. She whimpered softly as his deadly tongue seduced hers and his hand left her thigh to mold her breast through her top. It was obvious where this was heading. "Isn't there a 'no sex before a match' clause somewhere?" she rasped as his hand disappeared underneath the blanket and nudged her thighs apart.

"We're not having sex, babe. This is me taking care of you."

She squirmed at the feel of his long fingers brushing over her panties. "Babe," she tried to protest, biting back a moan as he cupped her sensitive flesh. "Baby...Jon could wake up and hear me."

His smile was devilish. "Then you'll just have to be quiet, won't you?"

Whatever else she wanted to say was instantly forgotten when his finger plunged into her entrance. Her eyes fluttered shut, abandoning all thought and allowing sensation to take over.

* * *

It was amazing how effectively the wrestlers operated. Like clockwork. There was an unspoken routine among the group that had evidently gone on for a long period of time, probably tweaked a number of times before it became as efficient as it was now. And it was hella impressive. They knew where to be, how to get there, and how to switch things up if there was a glitch in the cycle. It was a synergy that had to be witnessed to believe, and Sasha thought it was very cool.

The backstage area of the arena was rowdy, with people running around going about their duties before the show started. After they'd put their things in their locker room for the night, Sasha followed Joe, Jon and Colby to catering, with Joe pointing out various things to her as they walked. She took in how animated he was as he spoke. He clearly enjoyed being in this environment and being a part of it. It was heart-warming to see.

The catering room was also full of people, particularly the wrestlers. Most of the ones she'd met at Trinity's party surprisingly remembered her and were nice to her. She noticed that Joe got along rather well with his peers, joking and engaging them in friendly conversation no matter how short it was. He introduced her to the famous John Cena, who was just as larger-than-life as he portrayed on TV. He was nice but there was something about him that seemed a little insincere. Daniel Bryan greeted them with a bright smile when he walked in with his fiancée Brie who, although she was polite to Sasha, wore a dubious look on her face, which the mother-of-two ignored. Her most interesting meeting definitely had to be Bray Wyatt, whose real name was Windham Rotunda, or Win as Joe and everyone else called him. Not that Sasha expected him to be, but he was nothing like the TV character that frightened Mia, instead soft-spoken, polite, quiet and almost shy. He took a picture with her and laughed heartily when she informed him of her daughter's fear of his on-screen persona, assuring her that he got that reaction a lot. He kissed her hand when it was time for him to leave. "Very nice to meet you, Sasha," he said with a smile before looking over at Joe. She could tell that both men had a ton of respect for each other. "You've got a beautiful lady, G.I.," he said. "Take care of her, will you?"

"I will," Joe smiled.

"He's sweet," Sasha commented when Win was gone.

"He is. He's quiet around new people but he's very funny once you get to know him. We both grew up in the business surrounded by famous family so we got a lot in common."

"I see." She looked over to see someone hurrying towards them and on closer inspection she realized it was Trinity. She was almost knocked over by the younger woman's embrace. The girl was obviously a fan of massive hugs. Once again Trinity shooed Joe away, to his good-natured chagrin, so she could have Sasha to herself. Sasha liked her so she didn't have a problem spending time with her.

"Joe told me you weren't feeling well the night of the party," said Trinity. "Obviously you're better now?"

So Joe had covered up for her? Aww. "Yeah. Thanks."

"Must have been an interesting past few weeks for you with the whole internet thing." Trinity gave her a sympathetic look. "How did you take it?"

Sasha shrugged, looking down at Trinity's brightly-colored nails. "Could have been better, could have been worse," she admitted, "It was weird seeing my face online and having people talk shit about me but apparently it's something I have to get used to."

"I wish I could tell you otherwise but it's the truth," said the Funkadactyl. "It happens to us all the time. But you'll be okay. Joe will make sure of that."

"I know. So how have you been?" Sasha asked, changing the subject. "Work's good?"

"Can't really complain. I'm living my dream. How long will you be with us for?"

"About a week. We're going to be in like three different places this week alone. It's kinda crazy. This is normal for you?"

"Story of our lives, girl," said Trinity. "But don't worry. It's going to be fun. I'm sure there'll be some downtime in between so you and your man can have some alone time."

Sasha blushed at the knowing smile the younger woman gave her. From a distance she could see Natalie and Danielle sitting at a table eyeing her and whispering to each other. She pretended not to notice them, continuing her conversation with Trinity. A shadow suddenly loomed over the two women. A tall, tattooed, very good-looking man stood in front of them, and Sasha recognized him as the Viper, Randy Orton.

"Trinity, Steph wants to see you in her office," he said, his business-like demeanor loosening when his gaze fell upon Sasha. "Who's your friend?"

Sasha turned to Trinity, who had a somewhat wary look on her face. "Randy this is Sasha, Joe's girlfriend. Sasha, Randy."

The look in his blue eyes gave Sasha the feeling of being undressed, and not in a good way. "Hi."

"Sasha," he repeated. "Beautiful name for a beautiful lady."

"Thanks." He had extended his hand to her, and when she took it, he lifted her knuckles to his lips. Somehow it didn't feel as innocent as when Win had done it. There was no denying his charm but there was a certain danger lurking behind it that Sasha didn't want to be exposed to.

"Are you sticking around to watch the show tonight?" Randy asked, smiling that arrogant smile he flashed so often in the ring.

"Yeah. I can't wait." She cut a quick glance to Trinity, silently pleading with her not to leave her alone with him. Randy sidled a little closer to her, and she fought the urge to take a step back. Forwardness was obviously a common trait among professional wrestlers. "So...you're Anoa'i's girlfriend, huh?" he said.

"Yes she is." Sasha heard a familiar deep voice behind her before she could respond. Joe had materialized beside her, his muscular arm winding around her waist. She could feel the tension emanating from him as he stared down his colleague.

"S'up, Orton?" His deep voice dripped with fake geniality. The camaraderie that was prevalent between Joe and Windham was significantly absent from this encounter.

The older man looked unfazed by his bigger co-worker. "Hey man. I was just saying hi to Sasha."

The Samoan's smile was tight. "I'm sure you were."

Randy didn't miss the protective stance of the muscle of the Shield and was highly tempted to call him out on it, but he wisely opted against poking a hornet's nest. "Well, I gotta go get ready for the show. See you around, Reigns. Sasha," he added, winking at her before sauntering away. Sasha looked up at her boyfriend, his hardened grey gaze still trailing the veteran. "Did he hurt you?" he questioned.

"Of course not," she answered, noticing his shoulders flexing again. "Baby, relax. He was just saying hi."

"More like tryin' to see if he could get into your panties like every other chick he lays his beady little eyes on," he snarled.

"You know that ain't gonna happen. My panties belong to you," she told him.

"And don't you forget it," Joe retorted, causing Sasha to laugh. It had been an interesting day so far, to say the least. She draped Joe's arm around her shoulders and led him out of the catering room. "Come on, big boy. Let's go get you ready for the show."

* * *

_**"When Roman Reigns is in the house you damn right Cena sucks!" That is all. #bawse**_

_**Off to continue studying now. See you in a couple of weeks! Mwah!**_

_**Thoughts about the update? I'd love to hear your opinion. Do you predict any more drama to occur at the show?**_


	24. Chapter 24

_**Hugs and kisses to **__SailingSoul, Bharm, Pinayprincesa, ItsGbruhh, nikki1335, wwefanatic365, Guest, justkimmy, Beckah Godric-Northman, DeeMarie426, IRENELOVE83, ChelleLew, StilesBelongsWithMe'Bruh, princessreigns, benova13, Tammy, ItReignsJustice-619, LuxuriaVanitas, Maashmellow, Olivia Reigns, Imafan21__** and **__Shield316 __**for the reviews! Nice to see some new faces. Welcome! :)**_

* * *

The show went brilliantly. The crowd was enthralled by all the action and so was Sasha, who watched proudly at ringside as her man bossed his way around the squared circle like he always did. She would have enjoyed it more if the group of girls sitting behind her weren't there. Obviously recognizing her, they spent the whole time gossiping loudly about her instead of focusing on what they had paid their money for. Sasha had been sorely tempted to say something but she couldn't waste her time fighting with girls who looked like they were the same age as Mia. The sour mood was compensated for when she got to hang around in the Shield's locker room while they got changed. Big, shirtless, muscular men walking around? She couldn't really complain. All in all it was a good night, and she was ready to head back to the hotel with Joe.

The couple, accompanied by Claudio, walked across the parking garage towards their cars. A few fans had been waiting outside since the end of the show in hopes of getting an autograph or picture or hopefully both. Joe was always happy to oblige even when he was tired. He knew how much it meant to the fans to get some form of attention from their idols. After all, he had started out as a fan himself.

"Roman! Cesaro! Can we get a picture?"

Surrounded by a small group of fans, Sasha quietly stepped back for Joe and Claudio. She watched Joe sign autographs and pose for photographs and smiled at the way he blushed when the fans told him how awesome he was. After the fans finally dispersed, and Claudio and Sasha made their way to their cars, expecting Joe to be following behind but he had been cornered by two young women. Beautiful girls, thin and tanned and toned and leggy, dressed in shorts and Shield tank tops that showed off every asset. They flanked either side of Joe, standing inappropriately close as they gazed appreciatively at him. He was being nice, probably giving them innocent compliments like he always did with lady fans. The girls however, gave off much more sinister vibes. They giggled, batted their eyelashes, flipped their long hair back and stuck out their ample chests, unabashedly flirting with him.

"Like wow, I can't believe I'm actually talking to Roman Reigns," the brunette giggled.

"I know right?" Her blonde friend bit her bottom lip. "You're so hot. Way hotter in person than on TV, if that's even possible."

Joe flashed his dazzling smile. Of course he knew what they were doing. He was used to it. Admittedly it was flattering, an ego boost at times, and back in the day when he was single and in no mood for a relationship, there were times he had even indulged. But these days there was only one person he wanted in his bed. "Thank you, ladies. I appreciate it. Did you enjoy the show tonight?"

"Oh yeah," they nodded enthusiastically. "You were awesome. But then again, you always are."

"No, _you're_ awesome for coming all this way to see us." He glanced over to his car and saw Sasha and Claudio waiting for him. "Listen dolls, we have to get going but it was nice meeting you. We truly appreciate your support." He was turning away when the blonde girl grabbed his wrist. She smiled seductively at him and slipped a small folded piece of paper into his hand. Joe didn't have to look to know it was a phone number.

"You know, there are…_other_ ways we show our support," she purred, motioning between her and her friend. "We could show you what we mean later tonight, if you want."

Joe cleared his throat. "Um, have a good night, ladies. Drive home safe, alright?"

The girls weren't giving up easily, however. "You can give us a call later," the brunette pressed. "We could hang out in your hotel room, do whatever you want. Or even better, you can do _both_ of us. It'll be the best night of your life."

He handed the piece of paper back to the blonde. "I'm sorry but I can't take you up on the offer."

"Come on! You know you want to," she pouted.

"Actually, I don't. But thank you for hanging around to talk to us."

"It's because of her, right?" The blonde pointed an accusing finger at Sasha. "Is she seriously your girlfriend? She's so…blech," she sneered, joined by her friend.

And just like that, any modicum of courtesy Joe had left for them evaporated. "And that's where I draw the line. Say what you want about me but I don't appreciate anyone disrespecting my family or friends. We're done here. Have a good night."

Turning his back on them, he returned to Sasha, his heart sinking at the look on her face. The girls' voices had been loud enough for her to hear every word. Joe wanted to say something but she had already slipped into the passenger's side. The Samoan met Claudio's sympathetic gaze, the Swiss man also having heard everything. Sighing, Joe disappeared into the car and started the engine before driving out of the garage.

"You okay?" he finally asked Sasha after several minutes of silence, glancing her way. He knew deep down that she wasn't, but he had to ask.

"Yeah." She didn't look at him, her arms crossed tightly as she gazed out the window.

"Sasha…"

"It's funny how shameless girls can be, ya know?" Her voice was quiet. Too quiet. "Throwing themselves at you like that. They saw me standing there. They knew who I was and it ain't stop them from shoving their tits in your face."

"I know, baby, and I'm sorry you had to witness that. I handled it the best way I could."

"It's not your fault," she said. "You're beautiful and you're always going to get attention and there's nothing I can do about it. But it don't give them no right to insult me. They don't even know me. Like those little tenth-grade bitches sitting behind me tonight, running their mouths? I almost reached over and knocked them silly. They think because they're all pretty and perky, they can just waltz around and say whatever the hell they want and take whatever they want." Realizing she was getting angrier, she stopped. This was why she'd been so hesitant to come out with him. She couldn't imagine having to go through this every day.

"Please don't get worked up about it," Joe implored, placing his hand on her knee. He knew this couldn't be helping with her insecurities any. "You know you're the only one I want. I've said it many times and I mean it every time."

She sighed, looking back out the window. "I know. I'm just pissed off."

The conversation halted when they pulled up at the hotel. The trip to their room was quiet and tense. Opening the door, Joe let Sasha in first before dragging his luggage inside. Jon was off with some girl and wouldn't be back until morning so they had the room to themselves. Setting the luggage to one side, Joe turned to his girlfriend. "Aww, baby girl. Don't cry."

Sasha shook her head, wiping her face. "I'm sorry. I hate that I feel this way. I'm not some raging jealous bitch, I swear," she promised. She tried to laugh but only a hiccupping sound came out. "God I'm a fuckin' mess. Sorry."

"No need to apologize, babe. Come here." Joe pulled her smaller frame against him, caressing her hair as her head rested on his chest. For a long moment they stood in the middle of the room, holding each other. Lifting her face to his, his grey eyes fixed upon her brown. "What can I do to make you feel better?" he inquired, tucking her hair behind her ear, "Tell me and I'll do it."

He was shocked when Sasha kissed him, her full lips pressed to his with such urgency that his head spun. Caught up in her desire, he kissed her back with equal intensity, his blood instantly heating up with every sweep of her lips over his. As her hands navigated underneath his shirt, he immediately knew what this was about. The girls' comments were still in her head and she wanted comfort and reassurance from him. And he would give it to her. He would give her anything she wanted.

He let her unbutton his jeans while backing him towards the bed. She pushed him down and giving him no room to breathe, she straddled him, ravaging his mouth. One by one their clothes flew, and without breaking the kiss, Joe changed their positions and laid Sasha on her back. He snatched her hand and held it to his throbbing length.

"Feel that? Feel what you do to me?" His voice was soft and intimate, matching the look in his eyes. "This is all you, Sasha. It's yours, no one else's."

"Mine," Sasha whispered confidently, sliding her small hand up and down his erect member.

"Yours," Joe repeated, the word dying in a moan when she gave his dick a little squeeze. They kissed hungrily, groping each other before Joe forced himself to stop so he could find a condom. Sasha watched him roll it on with hungry eyes and leaned back, her legs falling open for him.

"Someone wants it bad," he smirked, settling between her thighs and bringing them chest to chest, feeling her heartbeat hammering against his. His piercing, famished gaze flowed through Sasha's body like a surge of electricity. He pushed her breasts together and closed his mouth over each nipple, making Sasha groan. The sound grew louder when he slid inside her without warning. Her legs locked around his waist, her fingers clutching his massive shoulders as he started with a slow, salacious grinding of his pelvis that dragged another moan from her lips. "Mmm, Joe, you feel so good inside me."

"I like the way you say my name, Sasha," he breathed, still rolling his hips, his muscular arms wrapped underneath her body as he showered her lips with pecks and nibbles. "Say it again."

"Joe," Sasha whispered into his mouth, so that he heard _and_ felt it. He ran his tongue over her upper lip and she captured the wet muscle, sucking on it for a few moments before he pulled away to attack her breasts again. The pace changed as he thrust hard and deep, imprinting her with his raw primal strength. Hot fever scorched through Sasha and spilled out in words.

"Oh yes, yes!" she moaned, and it was all she could do not to scream down the hotel building. Joe hooked her leg around his tattooed arm, both gasping at the intensified sensations from the new angle. He fucked her harder, faster, hitting her G-spot over and over as she groaned and cussed and called out his name like a mantra. Every detail was etched in Joe's brain; from the tight clench of her fingers in his hair, the rhythmic creaking of the bed underneath them, the rapid thrumming of her pulse against his lips, every sound she uttered each time he buried his cock inside her, to her slick moist flesh consuming him…Joe was lost in it all, and he did not want to be found.

Sasha's head lolled to the side, allowing Joe to pillage her exposed neck with his lips and tongue. The coil inside her wound tighter and tighter until it came apart with a vengeance, the orgasm so powerful that her mouth fell open in a long, loud groan and her legs trembled in the air. Nothing else went through her mind in that moment – just pure, unadulterated bliss.

Triumph soared within Joe. When you had a woman shaking you definitely did her right. Softening his kisses, he slowed his hips again, riding out her orgasm with her, feeling her body go limp as she floated down from her incredible high.

"Uh-uh, I ain't done with you, sweetheart," the Samoan snarled, pulling out of her abruptly and flipping her onto her stomach. "Get on your knees."

Despite her still-twitching frame, she found herself pushing up on her elbows. She felt his palms smooth over her ass from behind her. Wanton groans escaped them as he eased his dick back into her tight channel. He started to move but stopped when Sasha began thrusting her hips back against him. "Yeah baby girl, I like that," Joe drawled, resting both hands on her plump ass cheeks. "Throw that pussy back, just like that. Fuck yourself on my dick."

Biting her lip, Sasha arched her back and sped up her movements, pausing occasionally to grind on his erection because she knew he liked that. More heat bloomed within her loins at the satisfied groans that emanated from Joe as her pussy gripped him tight. She moaned when he pushed her head down to the bed and he resumed his own thrusting, going so deep inside her she swore she felt him in her abdomen. He grabbed a handful of her hair and tugged, his actions rewarded with her gasps of approval. She loved when he got dominant with her and never failed to let him know.

Joe guided her down to lie flat on her stomach, his body sprawled out on top of hers and keeping most of his weight off her by resting on his forearms. His tongue met the space between her shoulder blades, licking up the sheen of sweat that had collected there. Brushing her hair aside, he sucked the tender flesh of her neck. His long fingers stretched forwards to find hers. His muscles flexed and ripped as he pumped into her. "Goddamn, baby girl, you drive me fuckin' crazy," he grunted.

"Aww god, that feels so good, baby. Give it to me." She was surprised she could form coherent thoughts, let alone speak. The feeling of his body weight on hers, his heavy panting against her neck, his pelvis colliding with her ass as his hard, delicious thickness surged in and out of her was mind-blowing. Amazingly, her insides were tensing again, craving fresh release. She growled loudly and had Joe's hands in a death grip. "_Fuck..._oh God, I'm coming again!"

Joe forced himself to hold on, determined to take his lover over the edge first. "That's it, Sash. Squeeze my dick with your tight pussy." He was pounding into her now, one hand separating from hers to play with her sensitive clit. "Come all over my dick, baby girl. Scream for me."

"_Joe_!" She came just as hard as the first time, every part of her burning feverishly from the explosion of her body. But Joe showed her no mercy. Holding her down to the bed, he thrust frantically, forcing her to endure the agonizing euphoria. He roared her name as his body seized up, succumbing to his own pleasure. "Fuck." Slowly, he pulled out of her and collapsed beside her in a heap. For a long time neither moved, both breathing heavily and struggling to catch their breaths.

Rolling onto her back to face him, Sasha couldn't stop grinning. "Wow," she sighed, "That was…"

He smiled back. "Yeah, it was. And you're the only one that brings that out of me, baby. Forget about everyone else." His arm came around her shoulders, his free hand rubbing the arm she draped across his torso. His warmth and comfort soothed Sasha, and as her eyes drifted shut she felt his lips press her forehead, whispering unheard words against her skin.

* * *

The sound of the door clicking open startled Sasha awake. She instinctively drew the blankets over her, blinking through the dimness of the hotel room to see Jon strolling in. "Whoa," he breathed, eyeing up the clothes strewn on top of his bed, including Sasha's t-shirt and bra.

Sasha's eyes cut to the hulk of a man slumbering in her arms, relieved to see he hadn't stirred. She checked the clock on the wall and saw it was early morning. "Pass me my stuff?" she asked Jon with a small voice, her face flushing at his cheeky smirk as he handed her her clothes before he turned around to give her privacy. Carefully untangling herself from Joe, she got dressed and turned to see Jon sliding the glass door of the balcony open, a pack of cigarettes in his grasp. "Can I join you?"

He stopped in his tracks. "For a smoke?"

"No. Just outside. Hope you don't mind the company."

Jon shrugged. "Come on."

Outside, the two stood on opposite sides of the narrow balcony, Jon taking a long drag of his cigarette while Sasha stared into the distance. "I heard about the fans last night," said Jon.

Sasha looked at him, not expecting him to make conversation. She couldn't say she knew Jon that well. She gravitated towards Colby more because he seemed to be the friendlier and more open of the two.

"It happens," he said after another stretch of silence, "Not just with Joe. Colby too. All the guys, single or taken get hit on by rats every day."

"Rats?"

"Ring rat. Wrestling groupies," Jon explained, "The skanks who turn up at shows with the sole aim of fucking a wrestler afterwards."

Sasha blinked. "Interesting."

"Yeah." He smirked. "It comes with the territory and there's not much we can do about it. So don't beat yourself up and don't start doubting yourself or whatever. Though I'm sure the big man must've already told you that in his own unique way." He winked, causing Sasha to look away bashfully.

"I don't know if I could ever get used to them though," she stated.

"Ain't gonna have a choice if you want to be with Joe. His star is getting bigger which means he'll only get more attention. In this business we all learn to develop a thick skin. Sadly, that includes the spouses." The Cincinnati native returned her wry smile. "But you don't have anything to worry about from Joe's end. He's been hit on more times than any wrestler I've ever known. But he's walked away from all of that because of you." Personally he thought his best friend was in love and he was happy for him. He tapped his cigarette over the railing, watching Sasha contemplate his words. "A lot of us in this business are very guarded. We don't let people in for a lot of reasons. Joe's like that too. A few things have happened to him that kinda made him that way."

"Like Andrea?"

Jon tensed. "He told you about her?"

"Not really. When I brought it up he got worked up about it so I just let it be."

Okay then. He wasn't going to let the cat out of the bag if it wasn't out yet. "He'll tell you eventually. He trusts you. You've opened him up again and it's good to see. I guess that's what a good woman does for you."

"Where's _your_ good woman?" Sasha asked.

He blew smoke through his nostrils. "Don't have one," he answered simply.

"Are you looking?"

"No time."

"I'm sure you'll find her."

"What makes you so sure?"

Sasha smiled. "You're sweet, Jon. It also helps that you're on the pretty side."

Jon scoffed and shook his head. "Nah. Colb and Joe are the pretty ones. Must be all that exotic blood swimming around in their veins."

"Oh come on. Look at you. You're ripped as all hell, and you got the cutest baby cheeks."

"My cheeks are fat," he grumbled.

"They're not fat. They're baby. There's a difference." She pinched his right cheek gently, earning a glare from him. "Hot body, baby cheeks, blue eyes and dimples. That's a fatal four-way right there."

At her words, Jon rolled his eyes, but there was no mistaking the pink tint creeping up his neck. It brought a smile to Sasha's face. Like her, he was never quite good at taking compliments. Maybe they would bond with that.

They talked for a few more minutes before she returned to the room. Joe was awake now, a slight frown on his sleepy face. "Morning, handsome," she greeted, "You sleep good?"

"Yeah," he mumbled, setting his wash bag on the bedside table. "Where'd you go?"

"Balcony," Sasha replied. "It's almost seven. You should get up." She laughed when he pulled her down to the bed with him, wrapping her arms around her and tucking his face into her neck. "Can't I just stay here with you?" he whined.

"No you can't. Let go of her. We gotta work out," said Jon, stuffing some items into a gym bag.

"He's right," agreed Sasha, laughing again when Joe squeezed her tighter and shook his head like a petulant child. Jon laughed at his friend. "You're such a puss."

Sasha smiled. Call her biased, but she found his antics adorable. She touched her lips to the Samoan's pouting ones before looking back at Jon. "What are you guys doing today?"

"Not much. This is one of the lazy days," said Jon. "There's a lunch thing happening downstairs later."

"Oh yeah," said Joe, "Nikki and Nattie told me about it and apparently everyone's going to be there. You wanna come, babe?"

"If Trinity is going to be there then I don't mind," Sasha said, not wanting to be a party pooper by saying no.

"Knowing her, she hardly misses these things so yeah." Joe cupped Sasha's cheek. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Aware he was referring to her mini-meltdown from last night, she shrugged. "Better. Don't worry about me. Go with Jon. Let me know when you're coming back up."

"Alright." Joe gave her a kiss before climbing out of bed, bopping Jon in the back of his head as he shuffled into the bathroom. Sasha lay back in bed and caught sight of the small orange bottle peeking out of Joe's wash bag. Forcing herself to ignore it, she buried her nose in the pillows, closing her eyes with a relaxed sigh as her boyfriend's lingering scent and the memory of their night together invaded her senses.


	25. Chapter 25

_**A/N: Guess who's back… ;)**_

_**Huge thanks to **__Bharm, princessreigns, StilesBelongsWithMe'Bruh, Tammy, ItsGbruhh, CFierce116, Maashmellow, ChelleLew, Guest, Imafan21, justkimmy, nikki1335, mscmarie, AyannaCosta, Olivia Reigns, benova13, Shield316, LuxuriaVanitas, ItReignsJustice-619, DeeMarie426, prettygirlattheairport, IRENELOVE83, Guest, Sarah J, wwefanatic365__** and **__Julie__** for the reviews. Holy cow guys, I'm almost at 400! How the hell did that happen? :D**_

_**Now, I'm a huge fan of music and I don't know how I never did this while updating, putting out songs that reflect each chapter. I'll start now. This one is "Standing on the Sun" by Beyoncé featuring Mr. Vegas. Great ambience.**_

_**Enjoy 25!**_

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Trinity stopped by Sasha's hotel room so they could go down together for lunch and was surprised when she saw the older woman wasn't ready. She was sitting on Joe's bed with a towel wrapped over her green bikini and the cut-off jeans shorts she wore. "Hey girl, aren't you coming?" Trinity inquired.

Sasha covered her face in her hands. "You're gonna laugh at me," she murmured.

"Why?"

Sasha exhaled, feeling foolish. "It's been a while since I wore a bikini." A long while. The thought of exposing her body to the public terrified her and the weather was too hot to put on more clothes. She was seriously contemplating not going out at all.

Trinity picked up the black and neon green Under Armour tank top lying on Sasha's bed. "Is this Joe's?" Sasha nodded. "Put it on." She waited as Sasha threw on the tank top, the garment reaching her at mid-thigh. Trinity helped her lift the hem to the top of her shorts and pulled it back tightly, tying it into a knot at the back. "There," she declared, stepping back to observe her handiwork. "You're covered up but we can still see the bikini and you look smokin'."

"Says you," Sasha stated, "Your body is no joke, girl." She couldn't help but ogle the younger woman, looking sensational in a strapless pink bikini and matching bandana. She didn't need no denim shorts either.

"Right now it isn't," said Trinity, "But I'm definitely aiming to look like you when I'm in my thirties."

"What, with this little pouch here?" Sasha chuckled, patting her lower belly.

"Sasha, you've had children," Trinity reminded her. "I know women without kids that would snatch a bitch for a body like yours. You look great, stop worrying. Now come on. Let's go have some fun. How often do we get to be in Miami?"

"As a WWE Diva I'm sure you get to come here at least once a year." Putting on the sunglasses she swiped from Colby, she followed Trinity out of the room, taking the elevator to the ground floor and making their way outside. With easy access to the beach, the restaurant had comfy wicker lounge chairs and umbrella tables scattered around the patio space, with a long table lined with food. Sasha tried not to feel envious of the women strutting around in their tiny bikinis. She definitely wished she felt as confident as she did when she was younger. She found Joe standing by the bar with a beer in his hand and smiled at just how hot he looked. Her eyes narrowed however, when she spotted who he was talking to. Miss Someone-Dumped-Red-Paint-On-My-Head. She was standing too close to her man as far as Sasha was concerned. The mother-of-two felt her blood boil but she forced herself not to go over and rip those ugly-ass tracks out of her head. Joe saw her approaching and pushed his sunglasses to the top of his head. The anger in her blood became something more sensual as he blatantly scanned her from head to toe. He turned his body fully, his attention diverting completely from Natalie. The green-eyed monster inside Sasha let out a Roman Reigns-like roar of triumph. _Oh yeah._

"Is that mine?" Joe asked when she reached him, lightly tugging her tank top.

"I think so," she smirked, glancing past her Samoan boyfriend. Natalie was gone. _Yeah, your ass better disappear bitch._

"It looks much better on you, baby." Joe appraised, smoothing a hand briefly over her ass, which looked magnificent in those tiny shorts. Sasha took a sip of his beer, and he waved the bartender over and ordered her a mojito, her favorite cocktail. He noticed her fidgeting with her clothes. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just not used to walking around in tiny shorts and a bikini in public, that's all," she said sheepishly.

"Well you look good and I'm not just saying that because you're mine," said Joe. "But if you're not comfortable we can head back up if you want."

"Hell no. This is supposed to be fun. I won't ruin it for you. I'm going to sit with Trin. Bye." Accepting her drink with thanks, she kissed his cheek and strolled away, adding a little more swing to her hips because she knew he was watching. She joined Trinity at her table and listened in on her conversation with Divas champion April Mendez and a very chatty Nattie Neidhart. She glanced around at everyone, most of them looking relaxed as they socialized and wound down from last night's show. Nearby, Jon Good sat at a table with Renee, the bubbly blonde backstage reporter, listening intently to whatever she was saying with a sparkle in his eye that peaked Sasha's curiosity. Sipping on her mojito, she suddenly felt the sensation of being watched. She turned her head and locked eyes with Randy Orton, staring intently at her from his spot beside John Cena and his girlfriend Nicole. He'd been at it since yesterday and as flattered as she should probably have felt, it was a little uncomfortable. She looked away and turned back to Trinity, April and Nattie, then looked back over seconds later to see that Randy's attention was now on Joe and vice versa. It was obvious the two men were not friends at all. Sasha guessed that Joe had seen Randy checking her out and only hoped he didn't do anything rash.

After a while she took a trip to the buffet table. The Pitbull song playing from the speakers reminded her of the routine Mia performed to the song a while back. She absently swayed along to the music, recalling her daughter's dancing as she picked out a slice of pepperoni pizza.

"Cute top."

Recognizing the voice, Sasha fought the urge to roll her eyes. She wondered when these two were going to finally grow a set. Again, they had huddled in a corner giving her the stank eye and once again, Sasha had ignored them. She glanced up, realizing she was flanked on each side, Blondie on her left and Jessica Rabbit on her right. She stood up straight with a smile. "Thanks. It's my boyfriend's." Never act fazed, she always advised herself.

"Should you be eating that?" Danielle sneered, "Your ass is already like, the size of a continent."

They were trying to get under her skin, she knew that. But frankly she was done holding her tongue. Tramps needed to be put in their place and she would do it the best way she knew how. "Funny, Joe likes it that way," she commented. "At least that's what he told me three nights ago while he was eating me out on his dining table." True story too. Ooh, the memory of that...he'd kept the panties she'd worn that night for himself, but that was by the by. If Natalie and Danielle were going to keep antagonizing her because of Joe then she had no problem throwing him in their faces.

Natalie did not look impressed with Sasha at all. "You and him...it's not going to last. But you probably know that already. He'll get bored and tired of you and move on to someone more durable. Someone closer to his age."

Sasha cocked her head to the side, pouting. "Let me guess, you think that someone is you? That's _so_ cute," she gushed, piling on the sarcasm. "After how he couldn't take his eyes off me even when you were tryna shove your fake-ass tits in his face, I'd say good luck with that."

Natalie looked pissed, but Danielle merely smiled. "We noticed Orton's been giving you the eye since you showed up here," she stated in her prominent southern twang. "You fucking him too?"

"You seem to notice a lot about me, ladies. Are you jealous or something?"

Danielle scoffed. "Jealous? Of you? You wish."

"Of course you are. Why else would you be all up in my continent-sized ass bitching. I don't know what Randy's deal is and I don't care. The only man I'm fucking is Joe, and I know for a fact that he enjoys every single second of me riding that big-ass cock of his. Not that it's any of your damn business." She took another leisurely bite of her pizza, making them wait. "Jealousy is not a good look on y'all, ladies. Joe is mine. Deal with it. Ganging up on lil' old me ain't gonna change that." She smiled and made a shooing motion with her hand. "Run along now."

Her eyes widened when both women boxed her in, arms crossed and menacing looks on their faces. "Who do you think you are? Do you have any idea who you're dealing with, bitch?" growled Natalie, "We could easily fuck you up right here, right now."

For the first time since this joke of a conversation, Sasha's laugh was genuine. "How? I seen you two in the ring. Y'all couldn't wrestle your way out of a paper bag if they gave you a GPS. Maybe no one wants to say it to your face but _I_ can and I will. I may sit back and let y'all run your little mouths but _you_ have no idea who you're dealing with. You talkin' to a hood bitch right here and I will drop you both where you stand. Like that." She snapped her fingers. "It'll be wayyy too easy. I'll whip your skinny ass first," she pointed at Natalie, "then I'll use that thing on your head to mop Blondie's blood off the floor after I'm done with her. You get me?"

A short distance away, Josh Fatu nudged Joe and jerked his head in Sasha's direction. Joe spotted the overly fake smile on his girlfriend's face and the telltale finger-waving, and knew if he didn't go over there right away it was going to get all WorldStar up in this joint. He sidled over and slid his arm around her waist. "Everything alright, baby?"

"Of course. Everything's fine. Isn't it, girls?" she smiled tightly at them, silently daring them to refute her. They glared back petulantly but said nothing. Good. They were smarter than she thought.

"I hate to interrupt, but Josh says he's got that new Foo Fighters album you wanted to listen to on his phone. Ladies." He smiled at Danielle and Natalie and led Sasha away.

"Foo Fighters don't have a new album out," Sasha pointed out.

Joe shrugged. "Had to say something to stop a catfight from breaking out."

"Catfight?" Sasha scoffed. "Homie, it'da been a full-on beat down. I've taken on bitches twice they size and still wiped the floor with their ass. Them bitches is lucky you came when you did. I may not know how to wrestle but I can still put my fist in a bitch's face."

Joe could only chuckle at his feisty girlfriend. "Alright, Mike Tyson, let's go cool off."

They followed their friends down to the beach and hung around for some time before wandering off on their own. The sun was starting to set and it was a perfect backdrop to take photos with. They took a cute one of her kissing his cheek as he held his phone out for the picture and reversed the roles. She took one of him walking ahead of her along the beach that was really beautiful. Joe watched Sasha focus on some surfers with her phone and said, "I almost forgot. I got you something." He withdrew a square box from his pocket, opening it to reveal a gorgeous turquoise and amber-colored bracelet. "Saw it at the gift shop on my way from the gym earlier," Joe explained. "Now I know you don't like me buying you stuff but I saw it and instantly thought of you."

"It's beautiful," Sasha gushed, holding out her left arm for him to clasp the bracelet around her wrist. "Joe, you didn't have to."

"I wanted to. I know you like these colors and the bracelet is simple but beautiful. Like you," he smiled.

"Thank you so much, baby." She leaned up and pecked his lips softly. "You spoil me, you know that?"

"I'm your boyfriend. I'm supposed to spoil you." He stole a few more kisses off her before saying, "So you won't mind if I get you an iPhone?"

Sasha frowned. "What the hell for?"

"A lot of things. Like FaceTime. We can video-chat whenever we want. And when you're out with me you can FaceTime Pam through her iPad. On top of that we can have FaceTime sex, which is definitely an upgrade from phone sex."

Sasha raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Uh huh." He took hold of her hips and pressed his body against her back, nuzzling her neck. "Think about it, baby girl…we're thousands of miles apart but I can still watch you get off."

She giggled and spun around to push him away. "You're so dirty!"

His ash-colored eyes twinkled. "Don't act like you don't like me that way, sweetheart."

"Wouldn't dream of it. After all I've just been using your hot, sexy twenty-something-year old body to do indescribable things to mine," she teased.

"I ain't gonna complain. How many guys can brag about having a hot, sexy, thirty-something-year old vixen in their bed every night?"

Sasha's lip curled. "I'm a vixen, huh?"

"Absolutely. Sexy, beautiful, a knockout in bed, and all mine." His nose was buried in her hair, his lips brushing her temple. "_Ku'u nani_."

"What does that mean?" She'd heard him speak Hawaiian a number of times but none of it sounded this intimate.

"My beautiful," Joe replied, and Sasha grinned shyly. There he went again, turning her insides to a puddle of goo. Pressing a soft kiss to his chest, she said, "You've been so good to me, Joe. You've done and said all the right things."

"I haven't said anything that isn't true."

"Not just that. Dealing with me and my insecurities. My kids. Other men have run a mile in the other direction."

"I told you, I'm not other men." His tone was decisive as he looked into her eyes. "I want you and everything that has to do with you and that includes your son and daughter." He would keep telling her so until she understood that he meant every word. "Any guy who claims to care for you but distances himself from them is lying. T.K. and Mia are part of your life no matter how they look at it. You three are a package and will always be. But I'm not embracing them because I have to, I'm doing it because I want to."

She gave him a curious, almost awed look. "You're very different from what I expected."

"How? I'm not a self-absorbed immature meathead?" he said, amused, and Sasha laughed and tugged his ponytail lightly. "Well, yeah. I mean, apart from the voracious sexual appetite expected from a man your age, you're…different. The good kind of different."

"I'll take the appetite part as a compliment," he snickered, looking out into the crisp blue ocean ahead of them. He sighed and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "A few things have happened in my life that's made me grow up a little faster, think a little more clearly. I've made a lot of mistakes, Sash. Mistakes I'm still learning from. Because that's really the only thing you can do after you fuck up. Learn and try to turn it into a positive. I'm not perfect by any means, baby girl. Far from it. But then again, no one is."

Now how many twenty-seven-year-olds talked like that? She followed his gaze, watching the water, and she was reminded of the night they made the decision to pursue a relationship. Nearly six months ago, if her calculations were correct. Even back then she hadn't quite realized how much things would change for her, how much he would change her. She hadn't realized how into him she would become. She had since understood that there was very little she would not do for him. Staring up at his face, calm and serene in the midst of wind, sand and sea, her heart swelled with emotion. It was the most relaxed she had seen him look in some time. That was all she wanted for him. To be relaxed. Happy. Because he deserved nothing less.

Without a word, she put her arms around his neck and gently pushed her lips to his. His hands left his pockets to pull her flush against him, holding her close as their mouths melded together. He reciprocated with such tenderness that her knees weakened. There was something different about this kiss – a passion, a poignant urgency that she'd never felt before. It was as though he too was trying to express something he couldn't put in words. Could he possibly feel the same way she did? In the back of her mind Sasha wondered, but her heart was completely absorbed in pouring itself into their embrace.

Sliding her hands down his body and into the back pockets of his shorts, she gave his butt a generous squeeze. "You know what handsome? Why stand around watching people riding the waves," she stood on her tiptoes and whispered seductively in his ear, "When I could be in our bed, riding you?"

Joe moaned against her neck and gripped her waist tighter, wanting nothing more than to take her right there in the sand. His reply, however, was rudely cut off by a barrage of water crashing down over their heads and soaking them both. At first they thought it was the tide but they weren't close enough to the shore. Spluttering, the couple turned to find the Usos holding each side of a massive rectangular gallon cooler, laughing their heads off. The laughter instantly ceased when they took a good look at their bigger cousin's murderous expression as he shoved water out of his eyes and hair. Exchanging nervous glances, the twins took off, running like scalded dogs.

"Oh y'all better run motherfuckers!" Joe tore off after them, with some of the guys cheering him on to get the twins. Sasha laughed and put her phone on video. No way was she missing_ this_ show.

* * *

_**A/N: Confession. I actually like Summer Rae. I think unlike most of the Divas on the roster, she has wrestling ability but she's not being allowed to show it. But she seems to have a nice personality and is a genuine fan of the product. I can't say the same for Eva though. She's been there over a year and hasn't shown any sign of improvement in terms of wrestling or entertainment value. I don't watch Total Divas (and I never will) but from what I've seen from Eva and Cameron, they need to go. I was spoiled in my teens by the likes of Lita, Trish, Jacqueline, Victoria, Jazz and Molly Holly, and what I'm seeing with the Divas today just makes me sad.**_

_**And FFS WWE, stop rushing things with Roman! By the time he's ready for the title the fans would have turned on him. Stop it!**_

_**Anyway...exams are done (till November at least) and I'm back on my fics big time. I've drafted all the way up to chapter 31, so perhaps if you showed me some love on the update I might work faster? #bribery #shameless #missedyouguys**_


	26. Chapter 26

_**A/N: Thank you to **__StilesBelongsWithMe'Bruh, LuxuriaVanitas, ChelleLew, It Worked, ItsGbruhh, Bharm, MissyAshley, Alexis Black-Reigns, ghunter182003, IRENELOVE83, wwefanatic365, CFierce116, princessreigns, Shield316, Tammy, benova13, ItReignsJustice-619, DeeMarie426, Olivia Reigns, nikki1335 __**and **__justkimmy __**for reviewing! It seems I distracted a lot of you with my A/N, lol. I was just ranting. I'll try not to do so too much next time.**_

_**Enjoy 26!**_

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Stretching lazily across the bed with her eyes still closed, Sasha rolled over, frowning when her hands knocked against the frame lying next to her. An unfamiliar frame. She reached up blindly and felt long hair. Not as long, the texture not as silky soft. The chest wasn't broad enough, the jawline wasn't as chiseled and there was way too much beard. "Baby?" she mumbled, still half-asleep.

"Nope. Try the other side."

Her eyes flew open, shocked to hear Colby's tired voice just as he rolled over and turned his back to her. Why the hell was Colby in her bed? This was her bed, right? She didn't recall going anywhere after they had checked into their Jacksonville hotel the night before.

She turned to the other side and found another sleeping giant with short wavy hair. Jon. Annoyed, she shoved his back. "Ugh, what the hell! You ain't Joe either!" Why wasn't her boyfriend in bed with her? How did these two even get into her bed? She remembered falling asleep in front of the TV while the boys attended some late night talent meeting with Paul and Stephanie. She was so confused. "Where's my man?" she griped, "I just want a cuddle."

"I'll cuddle with you if you quit talking," Jon grunted, grumpy because she'd woken him up. He extended an arm towards her, never bothering to open his eyes. Ignoring him, she struggled to sit up and squinted around the darkened room. This was too weird. "Joe?"

"Over here, baby girl," his deep voice echoed. Finally. Sasha looked over and saw him sprawled on the couch with his tattooed arm over his eyes. She wondered why he was over there and Jon and Colby were here but she wanted to be in his arms first.

Sasha threw her leg over Jon and started to climb over him to get out of bed. He moved onto his back to make it easier for her. She cringed when her other leg accidentally brushed his bulging crotch. "Ugh, Good!" she hissed, almost falling off the bed in her haste to get away.

"What? It's morning!" Jon grumbled. He lay back on his side and fell quiet, probably falling back sleep. Colby muttered something, but Sasha was focused on making her way to her boyfriend. She crawled between his legs and laid on top of him. "Baby, why are you on the couch? More importantly, why are they in our bed?"

He rested his hand on her back and kissed her face without opening his eyes. "Fuckers were too lazy to walk back to their rooms after the meeting. They beat me to the bed. Now go back to sleep."

"I want our bed back," said Sasha, "This isn't comfortable enough."

"You know they're not gonna move, babe."

"Then make them. I woke up surrounded by strange men. Fight for my honor." When he made no move, she nudged him and used her best Mia-like whiny voice. "_Baby_..."

He sighed. "Fine. You heard the lady, boys," he said, his voice growing louder. "Out. Scram. Beat it."

One thing Sasha learned about the Shield boys was even though getting up early was a habit for them, none were true morning people. Colby especially. He moved at lightning speed in the ring but in real life he was like a turtle, laid-back and almost sluggish sometimes. He was first to get up from the bed, fifteen minutes later, muttering curses under his breath as he trudged out of the room through the side door. It was obvious he was not ready to be up for the day, but at least he finally decided to go to his own room. Jon on the other hand didn't move an inch, and Sasha had to throw one of Joe's shoes at him before he finally got up, flipping her off as he stomped out. She felt bad, but at least it got the job done.

"Happy?" asked Joe, stroking the top of her head.

"Mm-hmm." Finally, they were alone. She nuzzled Joe's throat. "What's today like?"

"Gym in an hour then we have a couple of local interviews. Not sure when exactly we'll be back but I'll let you know," he said, noticing her hands had slipped underneath his tank top. "What are you doing?"

She was too busy suckling his neck to answer. It was three days since she and Joe had sex and dare she say she was horny. Three days should have been nothing considering she was fresh off an eight-year drought but she guessed that's what happened when you were spoiled by phenomenal, toe-curling loving.

Joe chuckled as her mouth grew more aggressive, her hands wandering all over his body. He was definitely awake now. At least one part of him was. "I got you sprung on this D, huh baby?" he commented proudly, a moan escaping him when her shorts-covered ass rolled against his already throbbing hardness. "Ahh, fuck…"

Sasha managed to pull his shirt over his head. "How much time do we got?"

He glanced at his watch. "Roughly fifteen."

"Fifteen's enough." Sasha stood up and dragged the covers off the bed, dumping it on the floor next to the couch. Joe's eyes flickered over her body as she quickly undressed. So damn hot. Round ample breasts, concave waist, curvaceous hips, thick, mouth-watering thighs and that ass he could never take his eyes off of. Every part of her voluptuous and real and soft to touch. They had come leaps and bounds since they first got together. She used to be shy about undressing in front of him but that was barely the case anymore. There was that lower area of her stomach she was still sensitive about but as far as he was concerned she had nothing to hide. She was a beautiful woman and she deserved to know that. "Bring that fine ass down here, baby girl," he ordered.

A now naked Sasha reached down and yanked his sweatpants off, wetting her lips as his morning erection sprang free. Sadly, there was no time for foreplay. She mounted him and placed an open-mouthed kiss on the tattoo adorning his chest. Her lips sought his mouth, sucking his bottom lip while he ran his hands up her thighs. The Samoan groaned as Sasha stroked his hard length before easing it inside her. He had the presence of mind to pull the covers over them, and then all coherent thought disappeared when she started grinding on him. Joe rested his hands on her hips but she laced their fingers together and stretched his arms above his head. He liked to be in control during sex but he didn't mind her taking the lead from time to time. He lay there while she rode him hard, both of them watching the point where their bodies joined together.

"That's right baby. Ride that fuckin' dick good. Ahh, babe," he moaned as she sank back down fully on him, grinding his dick enthusiastically. She leaned over him, her breasts swaying in his face, and he flicked his tongue over her right nipple, feeling her body shudder in reaction. Eventually, she released his hands and they immediately grabbed her breasts, squeezing them. Sasha threw her head back with a groan, electric currents zipping through her body as his cock raked her G-spot. She took his face in her hands and kissed him passionately, their tongues plunging and stroking. Her breasts pressed against his chest as her ass flexed back and forth, up and down, her slick flesh consuming every inch of his thick dick. She loved the way his back arched in reaction and his moans echoed around the suite. He grabbed her hips and bracing his leg on the couch, began thrusting upwards into her hard and fast. "Oh shit yes, just like that," Sasha moaned, leaning her forehead against his as he plowed into her, obliterating her G-spot, "fuck you're so deep."

"Just the way you like it, baby," Joe breathed, wrapping an arm around her back and latching his mouth onto her nipple as his dick maneuvered in and out of her warm, wet pussy. She groaned loudly as he smacked and squeezed her ass while thrusting relentlessly into her. The couch rocked wildly from their actions, and Sasha gripped the armrest above his head, her vision cloudy with pleasure. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," she gasped, "Yes, faster. Faster, baby. Make me come for you."

Joe's glazed grey eyes fixed upon his lover, gritting his teeth as he felt her inner muscles tighten around his length. Sasha groaned his name, her thighs squeezing his hips as she climaxed. Joe sped up his thrusts, cursing aloud as he felt his own release surge through him. "Ahhh, holy fuck-"

"Yo G.I., I think I left my…oh god!" Walking into the room through the side door, Colby groaned at the sight before him. Sasha squealed in horror and hid her face in Joe's neck. The Samoan seemed to notice nothing, his eyes shut tightly, his body shuddering in ecstasy as he emptied inside his girlfriend. Colby shielded his beet-red face, groping blindly for the door handle. "Shit, I'm sorry, I…shit."

"Oh my god." Mortified, Sasha kept her face in Joe's neck even after the door closed. "I'm so embarrassed," she whined.

Joe kissed her hair and rubbed her back soothingly. "It's okay."

"No it's not! He saw us!"

"He didn't see that much. We were covered up. And it's not that big a deal, we walk in on each other all the time."

Sasha glared at him. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Dismounting him, she pulled the covers further up her body and covered her face. She didn't think she could look Colby in the eye ever again. "I'm never ever leaving this room. Ever."

Joe chuckled. "You'll get over it. Both of you." He got off the couch and walked towards the bed, picking up what he recognized was Colby's watch off the floor. Probably what he'd come for. Joe grabbed a towel and cleaned himself up with it. "I'm gonna take a shower. Care to join me?"

He walked around the room naked and Sasha bit her lip as she drank her boyfriend in, appreciating the beauty of his hard, young body; the broad shoulders, the defined biceps and abs, down to the rock-solid thighs and of course, that fine, firm ass. All big and buff and strong and all man. And she hadn't even mentioned the hair or the eyes yet. He was hands down the sexiest, most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes on. They'd only just had sex but she found herself getting aroused again. "You don't play fair, Anoa'i."

"Never have," he smiled that suggestive half-smile of his, winking at her. "Come on, baby girl. You know you want to." he goaded, sauntering into the bathroom and knowing full well how this was going to end.

It was bait and she knew it, but sure enough… "Since you asked so nicely," Sasha said, rolling off the couch and scrambling after him.

* * *

"You should get that dress. The green one."

Sasha glanced at the dress in question and back at Trinity. "You think so?"

Trinity didn't look up from her texting. "Yep. You looked super hot in it. I know the big man will love it. He won't be able to keep his hands off you. Not like he can already. Every time I look he's touching and holding you."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Sasha laughed. The two women were all alone in the dressing room of a boutique they discovered downtown, their third store of the afternoon. Trinity had invited her shopping to pass the time while the Shield, the Usos and the other Superstars went on their media rounds. Joe had given Sasha his credit card, which she reluctantly accepted after a lot of convincing from her boyfriend. As she and Trinity tried on different outfits – well, mostly Trinity – they listened to the live podcast featuring the Shield on Trinity's phone. Their familiar, distinct voices filled the small dressing room as the boys promoted the live WWE event in the local area later in the evening, discussed the Shield and other trivial stuff. Then the radio host got to the good part.

"Now I know you three gentlemen have a lot of female fans because they call the show all the time to gush about you guys and offer their hands in marriage," he said, to which the boys laughed. "So how about we clear the air here. Are you guys single?"

Jon spoke first. "As a dollar bill, brother," he said, and everyone burst out laughing.

"I'm not," said Colby. "I have a girlfriend."

"Same here," said Joe.

"And speaking of," the host piped in, "Roman, there's been some photos of you that's circulated around the web for a couple of weeks now. Is she the lady in question? Who is she?"

"Yeah that's her, she's mine," Joe confirmed.

"Shuttin' all that down, right guys?" said the host.

"Shuttin' it down, brother," Joe agreed, accompanied by Colby's laughter.

Sasha smiled shyly as Trinity grinned like a proud mama. "That is so cute! I'm totally gonna tease him when we get back."

"Please don't," Sasha laughed. It then hit home that Joe had just announced their relationship to the world. She expected to be agitated but all she felt was calm and pride. She guessed she was already used to being known as Joe's girlfriend. Besides, it didn't matter what anyone else thought. Not anymore. He was hers and she was his and that was all that mattered.

The guys were now talking about some of their WWE colleagues and one name that popped up got Sasha's mind wandering for a moment. "What's up with Joe and Randy by the way?" she asked Trinity, "You can cut the tension between them with a knife."

The WWE Diva had an odd look on her face. "It started about a year-and-a-half ago. Barbara, one of the Divas at the time. Joe took a liking to her and like the naïve rookie he was, he mentioned it to Randy and a few other guys. Randy actually encouraged him to ask her out. The night he planned on doing that, who does he see making out in the parking garage? Randy and Barbie."

Sasha's eyes widened. "Whoa."

"Yeah. Later on there were rumors that Randy hit her. We don't know if it's true and I don't know if that's the real reason she left. But basically since then Joe and Randy have never seen eye to eye."

Wow. She'd thought it was odd when Joe had asked if Randy had hurt her after their first meeting but now it made sense. Plus having someone you liked get stolen from right under your nose had to suck.

Trinity had now switched her attention to Sasha's phone, admiring the wallpaper. "T.K. and Mia are so cute. Will you bring them around next time?"

"Next time?" Sasha repeated.

"Yeah. You'll come on the road with us again, right? I know Joe will want you to." She met Sasha's eyes, a thoughtful expression on her pretty features. "He's really happy that you're here, you know."

Sasha smiled. "So am I. At first I was just doing it for him but now I'm glad I came. I've met some super-nice people such as yourself-" she said, laughing when Trinity dramatically waved away her compliment, "-so I have no regrets." She paused, staring at the younger woman. "Seriously Trin. Thanks for going out of your way to make me feel so welcome. It's been nice to get a female perspective around here. That and the girl talk as well."

"It's nothing, honey," said Trinity, hugging the older woman. "You're great to hang out with. I can see why Joe's so taken with you. He's one of my best friends and I'm thrilled he's found someone who makes him happy."

* * *

"I miss you, Mama," Mia spoke in a forlorn voice that made Sasha want to cry. "Are you coming home soon?"

Dragging her shopping bags behind her, Sasha stepped out of the elevator, mouthing 'bye' to Trinity as she went in the other direction. The mother-of-two looked up at the hotel room door numbers to track her own. "I miss you too, baby," she replied, "I'll be home before you know it. I'll call you later tonight alright? Give my love to Aunt Cher, Uncle Reggie and the twins, okay?"

"I will, Mama. I love you."

Again, Sasha felt her eyes brim with tears but quickly blinked them away. "I love you too, baby. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

She put her phone away in her bag, resolving to call T.K. once she was back in the room, and nearly collided with a broad chest in the process. She glanced up, meeting the blue gaze of Randy Orton. His head was cocked to the side, his eyes darkening like they always did when he scrutinized her.

"Sorry," she mumbled, sidestepping him, but she was stopped by his hand closing around hers. "Whoa, where's the fire?" he asked, his eyes falling upon the bracelet on her wrist, the one Joe got her in Miami. "Pretty."

Gently but firmly, she pulled her hand away. He was an imposing figure but Sasha did not allow herself to be intimidated. "Thanks. Do you mind getting out of the way?" she asked.

His eyes shone sinisterly. "Are you avoiding me, darlin'?"

"Why would I be?"

"I don't know. Perhaps your boyfriend has warned you about me," he said, drifting closer to her.

"He hasn't warned me about anything," she answered. "Actually, he's never talked about you. Ever."

If the Viper was slighted by the thinly-veiled jab, he didn't show it. His trademark smirk broadened. "Well then, I guess he wouldn't mind if you and I went somewhere and had a nice friendly chat, hmm? Get to know each other a little better?"

Judging by the way he was eyeing her chest it would be anything but just friendly. Randy was an attractive man and though she was flattered by his attention he was legit creeping her out. And after what Trinity told her, she concluded that she wanted very little to do with him. "Look, Randy," she said, looking him dead in the eye. "I don't know you, and I don't know what problems you have with Joe but I'd rather not be in the middle of it. So if that's what this is, this whole seducing thing you've been doing, to get back at him? Then stop. We're too grown to be playing games. You look like a million dollars. I'll admit it if that's what you want to hear because it's the truth. But sadly, that's where my interest in you ends." She stepped closer to him, her lips nearing his ear. "Sorry."

The scowl on his face told Sasha he had never been spoken to like that before, and vaguely she wondered if he was going to lash out. At the same time, she doubted he would. In the short time she'd been around she learned that wrestlers got bored and craved attention. She just happened to be there and she was a new face. That was all this was. If it wasn't her, it would've been someone else. However, she was no one's plaything and had no plans to be.

Patting Randy's cheek, she brushed past him, her smile faltering a little when she found Joe standing in front of their room a few feet away, glaring at them. Walking over to him, she kissed his lips. "Hey handsome."

"What was that about?" he demanded.

"Just me and Randy having a friendly chat," she said, entering the room and dropping the shopping bags on the bed. She sat on the bed and rifled through one of them. "I got you some massage oils. This one's got menthol or something in it but Trin says they're really good. Maybe we could use them later tonight if you want. Only for therapeutic purposes of course." She looked up when he didn't answer, her eyes narrowing when he stayed by the door with his arms crossed. "What's wrong?"

"You were flirting with Orton," Joe accused. "The whole touching his face thing?"

Sasha shook her head. "No I wasn't. I was setting him straight."

"I don't want you around him, Sasha. He's trouble."

"Relax, Commander. I told him to back off nicely. Not every issue has to be resolved with violence, ya know." Her frown deepened at his suspicious expression. "You don't believe me?"

Scratching his goatee restlessly – something he always did when he was trying to rein in his infamous Samoan temper – Joe sighed, looking back at his girlfriend. "I do. I just don't trust his ass."

"Trinity told me about what he did. With you and some girl named Barbara." She shrugged when he looked surprised. "I had to ask what the beef was about. What he did with Barbara was a dick move. That will never happen with us," she assured him. "We got a good thing going here, right baby?"

She winked at him, watching as his demeanor relaxed and the corner of his mouth curved upward. "Right."

"Good. Now come sit down. Tell me about your day."

She smiled as he joined her on the bed, facing the TV. Sasha picked up a hairbrush, sat behind him on the bed and brushed his hair, listening to his every word. She liked hearing about his day. He always had interesting stories to tell. It was a couple-ish thing to do, discussing how their day went with each other. She felt that it solidified their relationship and the bond between them.

"We've got another meeting before the show tonight," Joe sighed. "I feel like I've been neglecting you this entire trip. I'm always running off somewhere."

"Sweetie, you're working. More meetings mean you're getting more responsibilities and your bosses are starting to trust you more, which is always a good thing. Don't worry about me. My job is to make sure you're getting your rest and you're not over-stressing yourself." She was speaking with his prescription medication in mind. She hadn't seen them in some time but she was sure they were lurking around somewhere.

Joe turned his head and met her eyes, touched by how understanding and accepting she was. She never whined or complained like the others in his past and he found it refreshing. "And I appreciate all of it, Sasha," he said, kissing her cheek. "I'm really glad you came out with me."

She accepted his kiss with a smile, pleased to see the earlier tension was gone. "Me too, handsome. Now turn around, let me finish with your hair."

"Layers, babe."

"What?"

"Layers. That's how you brush the mane of a thoroughbred," Joe said airily. "Bottom part first, then middle then top."

For a moment Sasha stared blankly at the back of his head, then chuckled, gathering the long hair once again. "Whatever you say, Mariah."

* * *

_**A/N: Learning how to create banners with Photoshop Elements and it's giving me a headache, lol. I just can't get the hang of it. Sigh.**_

_**Ack, this felt a little filler-ish to me. That wasn't the plan, I promise. Anyway, we're almost at the end of Sasha's trip. Roll up your sleeves for the next couple of chapters. It's gonna be good.**_

_**More reviews, pretty please! :D**_


	27. Chapter 27

_**A/N: Hey loves. Sorry for being gone so long. Been in full vacation mode doing a lot of traveling which has been great. Updates may still not be regular but I'll do my best.**_

_**Thanks to **__Guest, Bharm, ItsGbruhh, DeeMarie426, LuxuriaVanitas, ItReignsJustice-619, Andi, StilesBelongsWithMe'Bruh, ChelleLew, Tammy, nikki1335, wwefanatic365, Sasha, Violet Craine, IRENELOVE83, Olivia Reigns, princessreigns, Shield316,benova13, justkimmy__**, **__honesteyez__** and **__AyannaCosta__** for reviewing. I love looking back at your reviews, they're so entertaining and insightful. I'm super happy that you all enjoy this story.**_

_**This phase was a little tough to complete. Enjoy…or will you?**_

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In five days Sasha had travelled enough possibly for a lifetime. It was a non-stop cycle these wrestlers embarked on and it was on very little sleep too. Back at home she was usually up by seven a.m. at the latest following a night shift at the Grill, which gave her at least five more hours of sleep. Joe, Jon and Colby barely made it through three. Travelling was nowhere as glamorous as it was perceived to be. The likes of Cena, CM Punk and Orton had buses to ferry them around, and while the Shield were royalty on TV, behind the scenes they were treated as rookies and were relegated to fending for themselves and squeezing into tiny cars and vans. There was a lot of gym time, a lot of healthy eating and protein shakes, a lot of heating pads and cold baths and bulletproof coffee, all while trying to find their way to the next city. It was an intense, tough program but they sucked it up.

Sasha did what she could to help the boys out. There were moments where she felt she was in the way and other times where she felt her help was appreciated. It was now impossible to ignore how tired Joe was becoming and how much he was hurting from the constant bumping and bruising. It wasn't a secret that he was the one being groomed to lead the company in the future, and Sasha was not sure he was coping with the pressure as well as he claimed. The painkillers were appearing more frequently. Each time she tried to press the issue, he played it off. There was little she could do about his stubbornness but she played her part by getting him to rest as often as possible. Amidst the stress and the chaos – as well as Orton undressing Sasha with his eyes at every chance he got – Joe made time for his girlfriend. In Gainesville they had a nice dinner at a steak house, visited the Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach and went a private boat cruise in Tallahassee, getting away, if only for a few moments, from the craziness that was the WWE.

The agitation plaguing Sasha for the past few days had given way to downright terror. The day had finally arrived. She and Joe were heading to Pensacola to see his family. She wished she didn't feel so tense but she couldn't help herself. Meeting the partner's family was always a huge step for both parties and this was no different. To keep her mind occupied she glanced through the pictures on her new iPhone. There was quite a number of pictures she'd taken, different ones with Joe, Trinity and some of the other Divas, the twins and Jon and Colby. Colby had posted a photo of him and Sasha with a tweet that brought a smile to her face:

_One of the coolest ladies I've ever met. Now to get her to join social media...hmm #MissionImpossible #NewBestie #FellowRocker_

As interesting as it looked she doubted it would happen. Colby and Trinity had introduced her to all the trendy sites but she really didn't see the point of putting herself out there like that. If Jon, as popular as he was could successfully stay off social media then it would be a piece of cake for her. Putting her phone away, she smoothed down her skirt and remembered how she'd agonized over what to wear. The last thing she wanted was to look inappropriate in front of his parents. She finally settled on a white sleeveless blouse and a flowing knee-length black and yellow polka dot skirt. Her hair was down in soft waves and her make-up was minimal. She didn't look too conservative neither did she look sleazy, which was the aim.

Her gaze fell upon her boyfriend, his own fixed on the road ahead. Wearing a fitting black shirt and jeans, he looked handsome as usual. His sunglasses shielded his eyes but his jaw was working, giving him away. He was quiet. He'd been quiet lately, ever since he spoke to his dad the day before. He hadn't revealed details but it was no coincidence that his withdrawal began right after he'd hung up the phone. "You okay, baby?" she asked him, lightly massaging the nape of his neck.

His dad had called to confirm that he and Sasha were still making the drive up to Pensacola. His mom, however, had hijacked the call to berate him for making his relationship with Sasha public when he hadn't even introduced her to his parents. It was a bit of a mess but he didn't want to burden Sasha with all of that. It was bad enough that she was already skeptical about being here. He wasn't sure what mood his mother was going to be in today but he hoped it was positive for Sasha's sake. "Yeah. I'm good. You?" He could sense she was nervous too.

"I feel I should have brought something else as a gift," she lamented, looking over her shoulder where the bottle of wine and the box of chocolates lay in the back seat.

"I told you, it's fine," Joe insisted. "My dad loves those chocolates. Besides, they wouldn't have minded if you didn't bring anything."

"What if they don't like me? They'll just see me as the cradle robber that's been corrupting their baby," said Sasha.

"No they won't. Besides, I'm the one that's been doing the corrupting, don't you think?" he answered, shooting a sly glance in her direction.

A wicked smile formed on her face. "You sure about that, Anoa'i?"

Joe felt her hand on his thigh and cast his eyes down to see it inching dangerously towards his crotch. "You wouldn't. Not when I'm driving," he growled.

Laughing, she pulled her hand away, instead resting it on top of his own on the steering wheel. "Of course not. Don't want you crashing this car with me in it. I'm precious cargo."

"Tease," Joe grumbled, turning his right hand over so that her hand fell into his palm. He squeezed it gently, the softness of her slim fingers imbedded in his brain. "My family will adore you, Sash. There's nothing to worry about," he told her.

"You think so?" Sasha asked hopefully.

"I know so." He cast a quick glance at her and kissed the back of her hand. "You look beautiful, baby girl."

Smiling at his compliment, she held onto his hand for the rest of the journey. She could only hope he was right about his family.

* * *

If she thought Joe's home in Tampa was enormous it was nothing compared to his parents' residence. The house was preceded by a sprawling, manicured front lawn peppered with small palm trees. As they neared the front door, Sasha tightened her hold on Joe's hand and willed her stomach to stop flipping. It was just his parents and his siblings around but it didn't stop the nerves from flowing.

The door was opened by an imposing-looking man who looked just like Joe, only several pounds heavier. The moment he laid eyes on Joe he grinned widely. "Ayyy, look who's here!"

Joe stepped forwards and greeted him with a big man-hug. "What's up bro? It's been a while." Pulling away, he guided Sasha in front of him. "Matt, this is Sasha. Sasha, this is my big brother Matt."

Sasha started to extend her hand, and was shocked when the big man pulled her in for a hug. "So this is the lady my little bro is so crazy about," Matt remarked, causing Sasha to smile bashfully.

"Come on, man," Joe couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face.

"Am I lying? She's all you ever talk about on the phone, man," Matt retorted. "Come on in. Mom, dad and the girls are inside." Together they walked in, with the brothers talking about Matt's wife and children. Matt noted with a small smile how Joe held Sasha close to him even as they entered the house.

"Who's at the door, son?" A deep booming voice sounded, and a stocky, hulking figure wandered over.

"Hey Dad," said Joe.

"You made it," his father grinned, the two men hugging the same way the brothers had. Sasha stood meekly behind them, watching the scene unfold with a smile before Joe's father returned his attention to her. "You're more beautiful than my boy mentioned, Sasha," he said, gathering her in his arms.

"Thank you, Mr. Anoa'i." Sasha smiled graciously at the older man and presented the wine and box of chocolates. "And thank you for inviting me into your home."

"Call me Sika, sweetheart." He accepted the gifts with a big smile. "Wow. This is my absolute favorite candy. The wife won't be too thrilled but I'ma just tell her, YOLO, ya know?" He tried to make a cool face, along with hand gestures, and the hilarious visual made Sasha laugh.

Joe cringed. "Dad…no. Where is Mom by the way?"

"Kitchen. Go find her. She's been dying to see you both," Sika said, gently steering them in the direction of said place.

"We'll be back in a minute." Joe weaved his fingers through Sasha's as they walked away. "Your dad's so cute," Sasha giggled.

"He's got his moments," he acknowledged as they entered the kitchen where three women were gathered. The oldest woman turned around, a wide smile lighting up her face. "There's my baby! Come here, darling!" She all but rushed Joe in a big hug and an even bigger kiss on his cheek. Her eyes then fell upon the dark-skinned woman standing behind him, her smile waning by a fraction. "You must be Sasha. I'm Patricia."

"You're stunning, Mrs. Anoa'i." She had to say it. She had seen pictures but they did no justice to the woman standing in front of her. She was much more beautiful in person and Sasha saw where Joe got his movie star looks from.

"Well, she is half-Italian so that helps," the youngest woman said, approaching Sasha and engulfing her in a tight hug. "Hi Sasha! I'm Cassie. It's so nice to finally meet you!"

"Don't squeeze her to death, Cass," the third woman warned. "Forgive my sister, she's a mess around new people," she explained to Sasha, giving her a hug of her own as Joe looked on with a chuckle. "Now that you're done manhandling her, I'd like to formally introduce y'all," he stated. "Mom, Alma, Cassandra, this is Sasha. Sasha, this is my mom and my two loving sisters."

"Loving being the operative word," said Cassie, and Sasha tried not to laugh as Joe rolled his eyes and made a goofy face, wincing when Cassie smacked the back of his head. "Oww!"

Patricia shook her head and chuckled. "Lunch is ready. You must be starving after such a long trip. I made one of your favorites, Leati. _Palusami_. I know how much you love your _palusami._"

"You know I love anything you make, Ma," Joe replied as his mother pinched his cheek.

"Only the best for my baby," she cooed, all of her attention on her son. Whether it was deliberate, Sasha wasn't sure, but she could definitely sense Patricia was in full Mama Bear mode. Clearing her throat, she asked, "Do you need help with anything, ma'am?"

Alma answered for her mother. "Sure. You can help us take out the food into the dining room," she said, missing Patricia's subtle glare at her. "Leati, go hang out with Dad and Matt. We'll be out in a minute."

"Alright sis, I know when I'm not wanted," Joe joked, kissing Sasha's cheek before exiting the kitchen. Sasha only realized she was staring after him when Cassie nudged her and wiggled her eyebrows dramatically.

"You have a beautiful home, ma'am," Sasha observed, looking around the spacious kitchen.

"Thank you. And please call me Patricia." She locked scrutinizing grey eyes, so much like her son's, on the new woman.

"So Joe says this is your first time on the road with him," said Alma, handing Sasha a casserole dish. "How's it been for you?"

"It's been an eye opener, that's for sure," she replied, "This is my very first time outside Tampa so there was a lot to take in. I never realized how crazy the WWE's schedule was, I think we covered half of Florida in three days."

"I take it Joe paid for all your travel?" Patricia asked bluntly.

"Mom!" Alma hissed, surprised by the tactless question. Cassie glanced away awkwardly.

"What? I'm just asking," Patricia retorted, a little too innocently.

Her face burning, Sasha replied with a tense nod, "Yes."

"I see."

The silence that settled in the kitchen was suffocating. Quickly, Sasha followed Cassie out of the kitchen with her casserole dish, making conversation with the youngest daughter as they laid out the rest of the food at the dining table.

Seated beside Joe at lunch, Sasha was treated to Sika's stories. The old man was boisterous and loud, witty and engaging and had the same dry humor that his son had. Sasha could see how proud he was of Joe and his career and saw great things in his future. She noticed however, that Joe seemed a little too uncomfortable by his father's lavish praises, irritated even, and only relaxed when the conversation was diverted to Cassie, Matt and Alma's children and lives. Sasha held her own when it came to discussing wrestling with Sika and she could tell the old man was impressed by her knowledge, however little it was. All the while Patricia glared daggers at her.

"So Sasha. How long have you and Leati been together for?" Alma asked, smiling warmly.

Sasha had only known Joe's oldest sibling for half an hour but she was instantly comfortable with her. "A little over five months," she said, looking at Joe and grinning when he placed a quick kiss on her hand.

"Joe told us you work at a bar?" asked Cassie.

"Yeah, I do. Reggie Hernandez's bar. You might know him, he's a friend of Joe's."

Patricia raised an eyebrow. "A bar."

"Ma," warned Alma, disapproving of her mother's tone. But Sasha thought there was no need for Alma to do that. She could handle it. As a fellow mother, she knew how this went. "Yeah. I oversee the running of the bar when Reggie is absent. It's not the biggest establishment, but we get by."

"I hear you have children," Patricia went on, to which Sasha nodded proudly. "I got two. Tyson is seventeen and Mia is eight."

"Where's their father?"

Sasha's gaze flickered to her plate. "Their fathers are not in their lives."

"Fathers. More than one," Patricia surmised. "If you don't mind my asking, how old are you? You're obviously older than Joe."

"Mom," Joe interjected, his eyes narrowed. Matt and Sika looked bewildered, while Cassie took a very, very long sip of her drink.

Sasha rubbed his arm underneath the table, silently calming him down. Her head tilted up defiantly as she addressed the matriarch. "I'm thirty-five."

"Hmm." Patricia didn't look impressed. "So do you plan on having a family with my son?"

"Mom, we haven't exactly talked about that," Joe spoke up, his tone clipped and annoyed.

"There's no need to rush," Sika cut in before his wife could say any more, "I'm sure Joe's busy schedule would be in the way of all that at the moment. Gotta hit that top spot first, right son?"

"Of course," Joe grumbled. Sasha could sense his temper rising and decided to change the subject. "Matt, Joe tells me you're an awesome dancer."

Grateful for the distraction, Joe squeezed Sasha's hand under the table, but the frown didn't leave his face. This was not going as well as he'd hoped.

* * *

"I'm sorry about Mom," Alma said to Sasha as they cleared up the table after lunch. "I don't know what's gotten into her. She's always been inquisitive but never rude about it."

"She's only looking out for Joe. I know how she feels. Sometimes I'm like that with my boy."

"Yeah well, she's being militant about it. She forgets he's a grown man sometimes. Look, don't worry about cleaning up. Cass and I will handle it."

"Are you sure?" asked Sasha.

"Yeah. Why don't you let Leati show you the rest of the house? We'll take care of clearing up. Where is the twerp anyway?" Wandering towards the living room, Alma found him with Sika and Matt in the living room. "Dad, can Leati show Sasha around?"

Joe seemed to jump at the offer, practically dashing away from his father. Taking Sasha by the hand, they walked about the large house, with Joe dutifully answering whatever questions Sasha had. The tour ended at his old childhood bedroom. Ushering her inside, he closed the door, locking it behind them as Sasha moved further inside.

"So this is your room," she commented, taking in the trophies, posters and framed photos on the walls. An oak study desk was in a corner beside the bed, and she envisioned fifteen-year-old Joe sat on the black office chair doing homework. She turned back and caught his sullen expression. "What is it?" she asked, moving closer to rest her hands on his midsection.

Joe met her eyes and sighed heavily. He ran a hand through his ponytail, messing it up, licking his lips before he answered. "Mom's pissing me off with the way she's acting. And Dad's driving me nuts with all the wrestling talk."

"She's looking out for her baby," said Sasha, leaning against the desk as Joe sat on the office chair. "It's up to me to convince her I'm not a cradle-snatching cougar witch. Maybe she'll let up a little then. And your dad's obviously very proud of you."

"It don't feel that way when he keeps comparing me with the other guys on the fucking roster," he complained, "Jon, Colby, even fucking Cena. I'm my own man, my own character. I don't know why he does that. Every damn time too."

She hadn't known that. No wonder he felt under so much pressure. "Just take it on the chin and keep doing you. You'll be fine."

"Yeah. I'm just tired of hearing it, ya know?" Joe leaned back in his chair, licking his lips as Sasha bent over to snoop through the drawers beside his desk, her butt hovering in his face. "Tryna tempt me, beautiful?"

"Uh uh," she warned, smacking his wandering hand away. "I'm not frolicking with you right under your parents' noses." She pulled open the bottom drawer. "Are these handcuffs?"

Joe winced as Sasha stood up straight, studying the cuffs, lined with black fur, dangling from her index finger. "Crap. Didn't know I still had 'em in there."

"We should bring them back with us. Maybe you could show me your kinkier side," she winked.

"Think you can handle it, baby?" Joe challenged, drawing her onto his lap and winding his arms around her waist.

Sasha smirked. "You keep underestimating me, Leati."

"Trust me, I never have," he said, caressing the top of her thigh. "Do you like being tied up and stuff like that? I know we've never done that before."

"I haven't done it before, but I won't mind doing it with you," she contemplated. "I think I'd rather be tied up than cuffed, but either way I know you won't hurt me."

"Ever been blindfolded?"

Sasha covered her face, her shoulders shaking with laughter. "Are we really discussing this at your parents' house?"

"We've already started so we might as well continue," said Joe.

"Never been blindfolded either but again I won't mind with you. No over the top Fifty Shades shit though. I like it rough as much as the next chick but nothing extreme."

"Ever been fucked upside down?"

Sasha's eyes widened. "Do I look like a yoga fanatic or something?"

"You're flexible enough," Joe pointed out. He'd experienced that fact firsthand and to his absolute pleasure.

"Not as much as I used to be. The Lusty Leg lift is one thing, but sex upside down? Not gonna happen. The blood rushing to the head thing cannot be sexy."

"What about threesomes? Or orgies?" He didn't see her as the swinging type but you never know.

"Hell no. No threesomes, no groups." She looked hard at him. "Are you into all that stuff?"

Joe shrugged. "They're fun. Makes things interesting, that's for sure."

Sasha's eyebrows knitted together as she crossed her arms. "Fun, huh?"

His smile faded as he studied her hardened countenance. "Uh oh, what did I say wrong?"

Shaking her head, Sasha looked away. "Nothing."

"Hey, don't do that," Joe said firmly, directing her gaze back on him with a quick snap of her chin. "Tell me what's wrong."

A small, nervous sigh left her lips. "I don't want you to think I'm boring or I'm not letting you be yourself because I'm not into the daredevil stuff. I don't want to share you with anyone else. And I sure as hell don't want to share myself with anyone else." She knew firsthand how sexual a man he was, and this new piece of information only served to drive the fact home and made her feel somewhat inadequate.

He shifted her body so that she straddled him outright. "I never asked you to, baby. The orgy thing's in the past. Things are different now," he promised. "And trust me when I say I could never be bored with you. We always have great sex and your ass alone could keep me entertained for the rest of my life. Plus I got your soft lips and these gorgeous tits to contend with." He brought her face closer to his and gently kissed her, palming her breast to emphasize his point, and smiled as her giggle filled his ears. Her fingers raked the back of his hair, her giggles morphing into quiet moans as he gently rocked her back and forth over the bulge straining his pants. "Look, now you got me hard from all this sex talk," he murmured, his mouth working the crook of her neck. She smelled like her usual delicious Sweet Pea fragrance, the scent never failing to make him heady with desire for her.

Their lips locked again in a deeper, more passionate kiss. Sasha fidgeted as Joe pushed her skirt up, exposing her thighs. "Baby, we can't," she warned between kisses, squirming a little more as he gathered her ass in his large hands. "You know once you start touching me we won't be able to stop."

He smiled against her mouth. "I'm good like that, huh?"

"Yes you are," she admitted, drawing back and rolling her eyes at his smug expression. "Oh, wipe that look off your face."

Laughing, he kissed her nose and stood them both up, with Sasha smoothing down her skirt while Joe adjusted himself in his pants. "Come on. Let's head back before they send out a search party." Hand in hand, they headed back downstairs and as they reached the bottom, he pulled her close again. "I can't wait to use those cuffs on you, baby girl," he purred in her ear, biting the lobe before swatting her butt and walking off casually. It took her a couple of seconds to compose herself after that. Damn, was that boy sexy or what?

She made her way towards the kitchen, deciphering Cassie, Patricia and Alma's voices. Great, they hadn't finished cleaning up and she'd been off making out with their boy. Way to get in his mother's good graces.

"So Ma, tell us how you _really_ feel about Leati's new girlfriend."

At Cassie's question, Sasha slowed down, a plethora of emotions sweeping over her. She flattened her back against the wall by the kitchen entrance, keeping out of sight as she awaited Patricia's answer.

The matriarch scoffed. "That ain't no girl," she said. "She's a pretty little thing but she's about to hit forty. What the hell is he doing with a forty-year old? I thought he knew better."

"Mom, don't be mean," Sasha heard Alma say. "Look how happy Leati is with her. They obviously have strong feelings for each other and her age doesn't matter to him."

"It's a superhero complex or some sort of phase," Patricia said matter-of-factly, "It has to be. Nearly ten years older? Two children from two different men? That's way too much history if you ask me."

"Honestly Alma, I agree with the age part," said Cassie. "She's nice but she's a little old for him."

"I know women like her," Patricia went on, buoyed by the fact that she at least had one daughter on her side. "She's probably blackmailed him into getting with her like that other bitch. She says she's a bartender but she's probably stripping behind Joe's back or something."

Sasha's blood started to boil, her hands clenching into fists.

"Ma, that's not fair," said Alma. "And lower your voice. She could hear you."

"Well, we'd be doing her a favor then. Frankly I don't see them lasting much longer," Patricia declared confidently. "He'll get rid of her soon."

Sasha had had enough. Caution was thrown to the wind as she marched into the kitchen, prompting the Anoa'i women to spin around and face her. Instantly they knew she'd heard everything. "Sasha," Cassie stuttered, her voice fading away at the look in the other woman's eyes.

The mother of two planted her hands on her hips, leveling Patricia with a glare. "There are a few things I've been trying to teach my daughter ever since she was born," she began. "One of them is that she's a lady and should carry herself like one, with class and grace at all times. Another is to always stand up for herself no matter what. Third, if you have a problem with someone, you look them in the eye and tell them so." She narrowed her eyes at all three women. "You obviously have a problem with me and got things to say about me, so how about you say it to my face?"

Patricia cast the dish rag she was holding aside. "Okay, I'll do just that then. What are your real intentions with my son? Huh? Other than using him to take care of your children?"

"I take care of my children just fine on my own," Sasha countered, "I've never asked Joe for anything. I'm not using him or blackmailing him. He's with me because he wants to be with me and vice versa. You don't know me. _He_ does."

"Really? Just how much do you two have in common? How much do you know about him? Do you know he wants children of his own? Are you even still capable of having any more?" Patricia sneered, "Or do you plan on doing the same thing the last triflin' bitch he brought here did to keep him committed?"

It was a Herculean task, reining in her emotions, but Sasha forced herself to do it, shutting her eyes as she did. Opening them again, she honed in on her boyfriend's mother. "Look, Patricia. I know Joe is your son and you want nothing more than to protect him. I understand that more than you realize. But you're not even giving me a chance."

Patricia advanced until she was right in Sasha's face. "I gave Andrea a chance and she screwed him over. Screwed all of us over. What makes you think you're any different from her? You're not. You're all the same. He doesn't see it now but he will eventually. I refuse to sit back and watch him make the same mistake with you!"

"That's enough, Ma."

Matt's deep voice startled them all. He and Joe walked further into the kitchen, the younger son looking like he was about to blow a gasket as he stared down his mother. "How dare you?" he snarled, "How dare you talk to her like that? You don't even know her."

"Baby, she's not right for you," said Patricia, "She could be using you just like Andrea was."

"There you go again, throwing Andrea in my face!" he shot back. "Goddamn it Ma, what the hell is your problem? How do you expect me to move on when all you do is bring her up?! For fuck's sake!"

Patricia was seething. "You will not talk to me like that!"

Sasha watched, stunned as Joe flew into a fit of rage. "If you stopped treating me like a fucking five year old I wouldn't!" he shouted. "You've been doing this for years now! Sasha is the first woman I've brought home since Andrea. She's here because I wanted y'all to see how much I care about her and all you did was shit all over her! How do you think that makes me feel, huh? Answer me, Ma!"

"Leati! You better apologize to your mother right now," Sika ordered, but Joe rounded on the older man so fast it made Sasha's neck hurt.

"No Dad, don't you dare try to defend her! She does this all the damn time and you know it. I'm sick of it! I'm sick of both of you!" Joe ranted, and for one horrifying second he looked very capable of actually attacking his father. "Shoving all this shit down my throat and for what? I don't need it okay? I don't need any of it!"

"Joe, stop it!"

He turned in surprise at Sasha's plea, puzzlement clouding his expression as though he'd forgotten her presence. Her voice was like a soothing balm as the blind wrath on his face gradually diminished. Breathing hard, he looked around, taking in the looks of absolute shock on everyone's faces and realizing he didn't give a damn what they thought. He was so angry, his heart was racing and his head spun. He needed air.

No. He needed more than that.

"I'm outta here," he muttered, brushing roughly past his mother.

"Where are you going?" Patricia demanded.

"I'm leaving." He was meant to stay in his room upstairs tonight but not anymore. Not after this. He glanced at Sasha with hard eyes. "You comin' or what?" he snapped.

Sasha had stood rooted to the ground the entire time, paralyzed with shock just like everyone else. Before she could respond, he was already out of the house. With what little strength she had left in her numb limbs, she followed him into the car. Without a word he kick-started the engine and drove off, putting as much distance between himself and his family.

* * *

…_**Whoa.**_

_**Top to bottoms are absolutely necessary! I'm not above begging. Dying to know your thoughts ;)**_


	28. Chapter 28

_**A/N: Over 450 reviews! Man, you guys never cease to amaze me. Thank you all so much. I did have to laugh at the last set of reviews though. None of y'all let the handcuffs part slide at all, lol. We'll see if we can further…ahem…'discuss'…that sometime soon in the story.**_

_**Still can't get over how crap Raw was. Ugh.**_

_**To**__ Alisi824, Ctinaisfashion, Shield316, LuxuriaVanitas, WWEbabe2442, Siren's Call To The Dead, Bharm, DeeMarie426, ItsGbruhh, IRENELOVE83, Tammy, ChelleLew, nikki1335, justkimmy, benova13, AliceJericho, CFierce116, ItReignsJustice-619, ladyjade37, Sasha, Olivia Reigns __**and**__ princessreigns, __**y'all are awesome. Thanks also to everyone that's favorited and followed. I'd love to know what you all think about the story too. :)**_

_**At last…we get answers. **__**Enjoy!**_

* * *

_If I scare you now  
Don't run from me  
I've been hiding my pain, you see…_

They were on the road again, driving for half an hour now, each area they passed looking more and more deserted. Where they were going, Sasha had no clue. She wanted to ask him questions but there was no doubt that he would bite her head off if presented with the chance. So she was forced to sit quietly in the passenger side and reflect on what she'd witnessed in the Anoa'i residence.

She'd never seen Joe so angry, never heard him speak like that to anyone, let alone his parents. It was like observing an unwatched pressure cooker explode. And that was exactly what it was. Unwatched. Because this anger and rage hadn't come from nowhere. Joe was hotheaded, yes. But it was nothing compared to this. Judging from his family's reactions, they hadn't seen it coming either, and Sasha had to wonder; how do you not know the volcano sitting by your house would sooner or later erupt? Or had they all just chosen to close their eyes and cross their fingers and hope it would remain dormant? It was all very unsettling for her.

At last, they pulled up at a driveway, stopping in front of a secluded house that stood about a hundred feet away from the beach. From her vantage point inside the car Sasha could see the beautiful scenery with the sun setting above the waves. She would probably have taken the time to admire all of it if there wasn't a very pressing matter at hand.

"You shouldn't have talked to your mother like that," she said to Joe once he killed the engine, her voice stern. "Or your father."

His jaw twitched. "I was defending you. Remember?"

"I was handling her."

"And you were doing_ such_ a great job," he responded coldly, throwing his door open with unwarranted force. He trudged up the boardwalk and into the house, not looking back once. Sasha followed him, keeping her distance. Standing at the front door she glanced around, immediately noting similarities between this house and Joe's in Tampa. Her thoughts were confirmed by how easily Joe moved around, clearly familiar with the surroundings. He stalked into the kitchen area and pulled out a bottle of what looked like alcohol from an overhead cabinet. He unscrewed the top with shaking hands and took a large sloppy gulp. Yanking out something from inside his pocket he slammed it on the granite countertop. He took out some of its contents and tossed it into his mouth, then took another drink.

With narrowed eyes Sasha advanced, and was shocked to see that damn prescription bottle again. Even more shocking was that the last time she'd seen the contents, roughly two days ago, it was about halfway full; now there were barely ten of them left. "What are you doing?" she demanded. "You straight-up pill poppin' now? With _alcohol?!_ Are you kidding me?"

Joe snatched the painkillers and stuffed it back into his pocket. He took another swig from the bottle. Jack Daniels. He wiped his mouth. "Don't worry about it."

There it was again, that robotic, monotonous answer he'd been dishing out for weeks in the hopes of keeping her quiet. Well she would be silent no more. She was sick to death of being lied to. "Do not play dumb with me!" she shot back angrily, "I am done hearing that bullshit! You been poppin' pills like fuckin' M&amp;Ms for weeks! How long has this habit been going on for, huh? When we started dating? Before? Is this what you're really like?" She planted her hands on her hips and squared her shoulders. "Are you a junkie?"

He spun around, looking at her in anger and disbelief. "Really? Is that what you think of me?"

She met his gaze evenly. "What do you want me to think? You're clearly abusing your prescription medicine. The label says four a day but you're obviously taking more. Forget my well fuckin' documented hatred for drugs, how about you think about what you're doing to yourself! And when did you start mixing it with fuckin' alcohol? What are you thinking?"

Joe didn't say a word, merely leveling her with a near-murderous glare. Sasha looked on in astonishment as he snorted derisively and turned his back on her, taking the whiskey with him as he walked to the other end of the kitchen island. Was he really not going to say anything? She trailed his every step. "Fine. If you're not going to tell me about the pills, then at least tell me what that was all about back at the house. That wasn't just about me and Patricia and you know it. Joe, what is going on with you? We're not just dating, we're friends. We're supposed to confide in each other."

He drank again. "Look, just leave me alone, alright? I want to be alone."

He spoke with such contempt that her surprised countenance transformed into one of absolute fury. Seizing his bottle of whiskey, she flung it blindly to the side, hearing it smash somewhere. Joe jumped back in alarm, then stared at her in shock. "What the fuck, Sasha?"

"Damn it, Joseph, you tell me what the fuck is going on or so help me God I'll leave!" she threatened. "I'll walk outta here right now! If I have to walk all the way back to fuckin' Tampa I will!"

"Nothing's stopping you."

Just the tone of his voice alone as he dismissed her made the mother of two feel as though she'd been slapped. But she refused to retreat or surrender. "Oh I see how it is. I know what this is. If your dumb ass think you gonna get rid of me that easily, you out of your goddamn mind. I'm gonna get answers tonight if I have to fuckin' Superman punch you in the face."

Again, petulant, maddening silence. Incensed, she shoved him. "Motherfucker I'm _talking to you_-"

"_Get off my fuckin' back, Sasha!_" Joe roared, his eyes blazing mercury as he rounded on her. "Just stop!"

Sasha flinched, violently, staring at her boyfriend with wide eyes as he towered terrifyingly over her with his fists clenched. Through the haze of rage that surrounded him, Joe caught her cowering stance, the fear in her eyes, as though she thought he was about to strike her. Never had she acted or looked at him that way and it was enough to make his heart wrench painfully. "Sasha...I'm sorry." His strong features crumpled in misery. "Just...I can't. Please don't. I'm sorry. I just can't..."

The words trailed off, and he staggered backwards and turned back to the granite countertop of the kitchen island, hunched over and breathing hard as he gripped the edges, seemingly trying to draw strength from it. His knuckles were quickly whitening, his body so tense that Sasha was sure if she touched him he would break.

And just like that, all the anger drained from her body. Now she was sure she couldn't leave him. Whatever this was had been eating him up inside while he suffered in silence and it had all boiled over tonight. She wasn't going anywhere. Not until they got to the bottom of this.

"You're hurting, Joe," she said quietly. "You've been hurting for years. There's been a haunted look in your eyes from the day we first met. When you didn't want to talk about it back then I said fine, that's cool, you don't have to tell me. But now you do. I need to know what happened between you and Andrea. What did she do that has all of you so devastated?"

He turned his head slowly, painfully towards her, and she was taken aback by the anguish in his eyes. "Tell me what happened," she begged softly. "Please, baby. I've never seen you like this before and it's breaking my heart into a million pieces. I want to understand. Talk to me. Get this off your chest once and for all. "

Swallowing hard, Joe looked into the inquiring eyes of the beautiful woman next to him, still willing to stand by him even after the way he treated her. That was all it took for his tongue to loosen, reopening a wound that had been trying to heal for the past three years.

"I met Andrea at Georgia Tech. She was a year below me. We met up at some party, hung out, hooked up a couple of days later. I wasn't drawn to her instantly but she grew on me and we soon clicked. She wanted to be a chiropractor or something. I remember Colby not liking her very much when he first met her, which should have set off alarm bells because Colb gets along with _everybody_." His laugh was dry and humorless. "The first couple of years together was fine. I left College midway and moved to Tampa to join FCW. Andrea came with me to Tampa but when Developmental transferred to Orlando, the trouble started. She complained that I was always leaving her, that I was never home and never had time for her. I was out there in Orlando, trying to live up to my family's name and hell-bent on proving myself so yeah, I'll admit I didn't allow myself much time for her. She was always questioning what I was doing when I was gone, who I was shacking up with behind her back. It was just ridiculous to me. We kept fighting and fighting until I reached a point where I just couldn't do it anymore, and I told her so.

"About two months into our split, she calls me up and tells me she's pregnant. I'm not gonna lie; I was overjoyed. I love children. I've always wanted a family. I saw how happy my brother was with his, and my sisters too, and I wanted that. I decided to do what was right and got back together with her. I wanted to be there for her and the baby.

"I'd recently gotten the house in Tampa, so I moved her in with me, and I started making more time to spend with her. I drove home from Orlando every week and I always made sure I got home to see her. I knew I had to give up a degree of freedom because of my new responsibilities and I did. Yet we were still fighting. One time she was pissed that I'd stayed up all night with the boys. Colby and his girlfriend at the time had broken up and we went out drinking to take his mind off things. Andrea said something about neglecting my priorities which pissed me off. I told her that if my friends needed me I'd be there for them. I may soon be a father but I'm still a man and a friend. I told her point blank that my baby came first above everything and everyone, including her, and if the baby was fine, that was my first concern. I still tried to do what was right by her. I'd drive with her to checkups and stuff. Time went on and the arguing stopped and things seemed to be better between us. It was getting fun, the whole father-to-be thing, and I couldn't wait till my baby was born. Next thing I know her old roommate calls me out of the blue and tells me Andrea was having a miscarriage."

Sasha's eyes widened.

"I don't remember the drive to the hospital. I just remember seeing Andrea curled up in the hospital bed crying and apologizing to me. I remember crying too; for my unborn child, for the plans I had made for my baby. All of it, gone. Things became distant between us again. Tense. I remember her not wanting me to go in with her when I took her back to get checked out by the Doctor. I figured she wanted some privacy with her body and I was okay with that. But basically we left the hospital knowing what we already knew. We lost the baby. It was horrible, Sasha. I just wanted it to be over so Andrea and I could move on with our lives. I didn't think things could get worse after that but boy was I wrong."

Dread filled the pit of Sasha's stomach. What could possibly be worse than losing a child?

"It was two weeks later when I was driving home and a call came in on my cell. Andrea was in the emergency room. Again, I barely remember the drive. I got to the ER. Had to sit and wait. It was nearly an hour when the Doctor came in and told me what was going on." Joe swallowed back the tears climbing up his throat. He would remember the Doctor's words for the rest of his life…

_"It was a close call, Sir. Miss Brewer experienced severe hemorrhaging, but she got here just in time otherwise she wouldn't be alive right now. We just underwent surgery to take out the excessive tissue from the procedure. Belated hemorrhaging is a common occurrence among patients who choose medical abortion and sadly it tends to be fatal, so we're very lucky she got here when she did..."_

Sasha felt her heart plummet all the way down to her toes. There was no way she had heard right. But the tears streaming silently down Joe's chiseled cheeks told her otherwise.

_Oh my God._

It wasn't a miscarriage. Andrea had an abortion.

Joe was silent for a moment, then when he spoke again, his voice was a little more than a hoarse whisper. "I couldn't believe it. I had to find out the truth. Find out for myself. I know the Doctor only told me about it because he thought I knew. I remember playing it off with him, acting like I knew, while deep down I was fuckin' raging. I've never been so angry in my life. I went to Andrea's hospital room and asked her what happened without giving anything away. Yet again she lied that it was complications from the miscarriage. I swear to God I coulda killed her. Killed her like she did our baby. I told her enough with the lies and tell me the truth. And do you know the reason she gave? She thought getting pregnant would finally make her first in my life. Basically the baby showed up and stole her thunder so she got rid of it. She planned it all, Sasha. She planned it from the jump. First she switched her birth control pills so she could get pregnant, then she bought the abortion pills a few weeks after she realized I was 'paying more attention to the baby's wellbeing than hers'," he made the quote signs.

"Joe...I'm so sorry." Never in a million years did she expect something like this to come out of his mouth.

"I ended it then and there," Joe soldiered on. "I gave her three days to get her stuff out of my house and get the fuck out of my life. I didn't care where she went. I just wanted her lying ass gone. I remember going all the way to Vegas to stay with Jon because I couldn't bear to be at my place. Too many memories. I didn't tell Management what was going on. Made up some excuse. No one knew what really happened other than my immediate family and the group."

Sasha nodded in understanding. By now she knew who 'The Group' was: Colby, Jon, Trinity, the twins and Lauren, Colby's girlfriend. His inner circle. His most trusted friends that had no doubt rallied around him during that terrible time.

"Trinity and Lauren actually drove down to my house to make sure Andrea took all her stuff out. They got rid of everything that belonged to her. And I mean everything. By the time I returned it was as though she never existed. She was erased, according to Trin and Lauren." Joe laughed but again, the sound had an acrimonious texture to it, devoid of humor. "I haven't seen her since and I never want to see her again. What she did to me is worse than betrayal. She murdered my unborn baby in cold blood, Sasha. If the abortion pills hadn't fucked up I probably would have never known what she did and she was gonna keep lying to my face, laughing at me behind my back. What kills me the most is that she got me involved. She said she was going for a checkup when what she was really doing was finishing off the process. She made me part of it when I drove her to the fuckin' hospital to finish it off. I never even got to know the sex of our child." His voice shook. "I've never hated anyone in my life but I hate her. I hate Andrea Brewer and I probably always will. She sacrificed my baby, all for what? To get my attention? She didn't even care about her own body and what the repercussions of having an abortion could do to her in the future. She was just mad that she wasn't getting her way."

The bright fluorescent lighting above them bounced off Joe's tear-stained features. His arms continued to tremble. "It's been well over three years. I thought I would recover eventually, but I guess I was wrong. My mother supported her while we were together and she'd betrayed her too by denying her another grandchild. That's why she's so angry. It hurt me. It hurt us all." His clenched fist met his forehead as memories assaulted him, the disappointment when he learned he would never get to hold his baby in his arms, that he would never see his child grow up, take its first steps or utter its first words. A lifetime of dreams and illusions snatched away from him. The wound was still deep, still very, very painful.

"It's getting late. It's been a long day and you need to rest." She didn't know what else to say. He looked so drained from the effort of unloading this story. She could see and feel every ounce and every inch of his pain, and all she wanted to do was take them away for him.

Joe gaped at her for a moment, then chuckled wryly. "Still taking care of me even after how I acted. I don't deserve you."

Her eyes stung. Ignoring his statement, she asked, "Where's the bedroom? Come on." She took his hand and led him in the direction he pointed. She found the room and pushed him towards the bed and he climbed in, shoes and all. She followed him in and allowed him to curl his big body around hers and rest his head on her shoulder. Sasha put her arms around him, running her fingers through his hair as he held her tightly, as though afraid she would disappear if he didn't.

"I was glad when you first told me you had kids," Joe whispered through the silence of the room, his voice sleepy as the effects of the alcohol took over. "You already had children; you would never stoop to such lows." He yawned. "You would never…kill my baby."

She didn't hear another word from him after that. His hold on her loosened a little and his breathing became less labored and more even. Sasha lay there on the bed holding the broken man in her arms. Closing her eyes, she began to sob.

* * *

_**At last, we know what happened with Andrea. Do things make a bit of sense now or are they even more complicated? Should Sasha run while she still can? Will she?**_

_**There are some questions Joe is yet to answer but we'll get to all of it soon.**_

_**For those looking to rip Andrea's head off, Google Jordana Brewster.**_

_**On a side note, can I just mention how jealous I am of Joe's real-life girl? That chick is smokin' hot. Lawd!**_

_**Kindly review, pweety pwease!**_

_**Song lyrics from 'Decadence' by Disturbed**_


	29. Chapter 29

_**Finally back in Paris from my vacation…returned from the States with a lot of Bath &amp; Body Works products and a Shield hoodie, yay me! :D **_

_**I've found a new favorite TV show in 'Hit the Floor'. Kyle, Zero and Jelena are everything, LOL. **_

_**Big big thank you to **__Alisi824__, Guest, __Ctinaisfashion__, itsgbruhhh, __nikki1335__, ChelleLew, __justkimmy__, Siren's Call To The Dead, __benova13__, Bharm, __Alexis Black-Reigns__, ItReignsJustice-619, __LuxuriaVanitas__, CFierce116, __aliveagain__, DeeMarie426, __IRENELOVE83__, Tammy, __Shield316__, princessreigns, __Olivia Reigns,__Brie's Mode __**and **__ThatGirl54__** for the awesome reviews.**_

_**I suggest listening to 'I Hate This Part' by the Pussycat Dolls while reading the latter part of this chapter.**_

* * *

The distant humming sound was the first thing that registered in Sasha's mind as she drifted back to consciousness. The second thing was she was alone in the bed. She sat upright, slightly disoriented by the invasive noise as she tried to gauge her surroundings. Sunrays infiltrated the floor-to-ceiling glass windows inside the bedroom, indicating it was morning. Her head felt woozy and heavy from lack of sleep, having spent the night thinking about what Joe had said. And each time she did, her heart hurt even more.

The noise did not go away. Climbing out of the bed, she went in search of the racket, vaguely wondering where her boyfriend was. She followed the sound to the kitchen, stopping short when she saw Joe walking around the kitchen island, pushing a vacuum around as he cleaned up the shattered remnants of the Jack Daniels bottle from last night. It all came back to her. The big blow up at his parents' home; his meltdown in the kitchen and the heartbreaking story he told her. He had showered and changed so he looked better and rested, but it didn't stop Sasha from wondering if he had gotten any sleep.

Seeing her approaching, Joe quickly put his hand out. Sasha could see his mouth moving, forming words as he tried to get his message across over the drone of the vacuum. Shaking her head, she gestured at both her ears, and Joe rolled his eyes with a small grin before turning the machine off. "I was saying stay put, don't come any closer," he said, "Your feet are bare and there's glass all over the place."

Sasha grinned. "You must think I've got Dumbo's ears if you expected me to hear you with all that racket."

Joe pointed at the front door. "I got your stuff out of the car so you can get changed. Unfortunately there's no food in the house but we can pick up breakfast on the way to the airport."

"Sure." She leaned against the wall across from him, watching him vacuum until he was finished. "I should have been the one cleaning that up," she said, "_I_ made that mess."

"Well, I'm the reason you made the mess, so…" he trailed off and shrugged, focusing on putting the vacuum away. Uncomfortable with the awkward silence, Sasha crossed her arms over her chest and walked slowly around the open living space, taking in the new environment. "I take it this is another house of yours?" It was considerably smaller than his Tampa home but it had the same open airiness, made more conspicuous by the shortage of furniture in the living room area, as well as the floor-to-ceiling windows that made up the walls of the house.

"Yeah. This is where I come when I want to relax and get away from everyone. It's my refuge, my little sanctuary from the madness of traveling and work." Joe gazed at her. "Would you believe me if I told you you're the very first person I've brought here?"

Sasha was surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah. And I've had it for two years now. Only a handful of people know about this place. Matt who found it for me, my dad and mom. It's very private, almost a secret. And when I come I'm always alone." With a quick shake of his head, he turned away, raking his fingers through his loose hair. "Last night was definitely not how I wanted you to see it for the first time though," he mumbled.

Again, uneasy silence settled between them as the ghost of the night before finally made its appearance. Sasha brushed her hands nervously down her skirt and looked up again, catching Joe's stare. "You didn't get much sleep, did you?" she asked.

"Not really," he admitted, his smile wry. "You?"

"Not really." She saw him differently now – as someone who had something very valuable stolen from him by someone he trusted – maybe someone he should never have trusted – and would have to live with that fact for the rest of his life. Thinking back, she realized just how many things suddenly made sense. The wistful looks he would give Mia, or infants they came across…even their casual talks about him having children of his own in the future, the longing that filled his eyes before he cleverly diverted to another subject…she had thought nothing of them until last night. There was no longer any doubt that Joe wanted children. And with that in mind, things suddenly became just that more complex for her. "Joe…what you told me…I couldn't stop thinking about it. I never imagined that was what happened. I never realized anyone was even capable of doing something like that. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Joe responded softly, shaking his head, "It was a long time ago. I should've put it behind me by now."

"That's not something you can put behind you so easily. Someone you loved and trusted betraying you like that? It's hard for one to recover from something like that, if ever." She gave him a meaningful look. "Baby, why have you been taking all those pills?"

He looked into her eyes and knew he couldn't keep the truth from her any longer. "I'm still in pain, Sasha," he confessed, glancing away. "My knee is still messed up and for some damn reason it's not healing as fast as I want it to. I walk fine but in the ring and the gym it hurts like hell. The pills help…most of the time."

"And the drinking?"

"After the shit that went down at my Pop's I just needed a drink to take the edge off," said Joe. "Mixing it with the painkillers happened for the first time last night. I can now categorically state that it will never happen again. _Bad_ idea."

"You can't keep doing this to yourself," said Sasha, "the injury, the painkillers. You need to get help otherwise it's going to become a bigger problem."

"No one knows I'm injured," said Joe.

"Not even Colby or Jon? Why? You think they're gonna call you a pussy or something?"

"Babe, if I mention it to anyone else I can guarantee that I'll be dropped from TV, and Colby and Jon will be affected too. The three of us are a team. We're practically carrying the shows on our backs nowadays. They need me to be at a hundred percent."

"But you're _not_ at a hundred percent, Joe. Are you telling me the WWE doesn't care about their employees' well-being? Can't you ask for a week off or something?"

"Things don't work that way, babe."

"So what are you going to do?"

Joe shrugged. "I just have to suck it up. I'll be fine. It's not like I have much of a choice. So many people are depending on me right now, within the company and outside. I don't want to disappoint them."

"Telling them about your injury does not equate as disappointing anyone. And you do have a choice. A choice to stop the pain, pain that will only get worse if it goes untreated."

He scratched his goatee. "Sasha, you don't understand-"

"I understand fine," she interposed. "I understand that your injury has caused you to become dependent on drugs. You're addicted to painkillers, Joe. You're hurting yourself even more and it won't be long before you start hurting other people. You could be on those long drives loaded up on painkillers and you could fall asleep at the wheel and something terrible could happen. To you. To the other guys. Is that what you want?"

Joe scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, don't be so dramatic. I told you I'll be fine. You're worrying over nothing."

For the umpteenth time in as many hours Sasha felt affronted by her boyfriend's words. "Dramatic?" she repeated, an incredulous expression on her face. "Really?"

Joe sighed. "Sasha-"

She glared hard at him. "You must think I'm stupid, or that I'm some dumb Yes Woman. If you think I'm going to agree that everything's alright and then sit by while you continue to poison yourself then you done lost your mind." She shot him a pointed look. "Do you even _want_ to help yourself?"

It was Joe's turn to be offended. "What's that supposed to mean?"

A derisive sound escaped her lips as she rolled her eyes. "Figure it out, Einstein. I'm done talkin' to your ass."

Dismayed, Joe's eyes trailed his girlfriend as she crossed the room and grabbed her suitcase. Sasha didn't say another word, shooting the Samoan a frosty glare as she walked past him and marched down the hallway towards the bedroom, her suitcase rolling behind her. Joe watched her go, sighing heavily and shoving a frustrated hand through his hair. This was not how he'd envisioned the morning would go. He had hoped they could smooth things over from last night but those plans were taking a big nosedive.

Sasha took her time showering and getting dressed, in no mood to face Joe again anytime soon. Her mind was working, anger, frustration and sadness seeping from every move she made with her preparations. Was he really not going to do anything about the problem staring him in the face? Was he not going to acknowledge the fact that he _did_ have a problem in the first place, and a serious one at that? She'd heard stories, stories with a similar path as this that had not-so-happy endings. She had even seen a few things during this trip, things she hadn't mentioned to anyone, that other WWE Superstars were doing that made her realize Joe wasn't the only one in this predicament. On top of that he was still struggling to come to terms with the events of three years ago. She didn't know how he was doing it, carrying such heavy burden while he went about his business like nothing was wrong. There was so much _she'd_ had to take in this week alone and it was a tough task trying not to let it all overwhelm her. Already feeling her brain begin to hurt, she silently wished she could get home sooner.

She was locking up her suitcase when she heard a commotion from outside the bedroom and went out to see what was going on. She could hear voices, with Joe's being the loudest and the angriest. Walking back into the living area, her eyes widened at the sight of Matt and Sika standing at the front door with Joe looking less than pleased to see them.

"What are you doing here?"

"Uce, come on, man."

"No, Matt. I don't want any of you here. You need to leave."

"I just want to talk to her," Sika said.

"She's got nothin' to say to you. Mom said plenty yesterday."

A part of her knew he was only being protective, but a stubborn voice in her head harped on about the fact that she'd never needed anyone to speak for her before, and Joe wasn't about to be the first. Sasha strode forwards, coming between the three men and placing a hand against her boyfriend's chest. "It's okay, Joe."

"Babe, you don't have to," said Joe, tearing his indignant gaze away from his kinsmen to meet hers.

"It's fine." She spoke more firmly, her pointed stare telling him she was not taking no for an answer. Reluctantly, Joe stepped away, but his anger was not quelled. Over Sasha's head, he gave his father a warning look. If she looked in any way uncomfortable, he was whisking her right out of there, pronto.

Sasha went outside to the deck, sensing Sika following behind. The mother of two leaned against a pillar and stared out at the beach for a few moments before returning her attention to the father of her boyfriend. His appreciative smile sadly did little to repress her nerves. "Good morning, Sika," she greeted, opting to be polite. "You wanted to talk to me?"

The older man shoved his hands in the pockets of his cargo pants. "I came to check on you, see how you're doing after yesterday."

"I'm okay. Thanks for asking," she said, focused on her fingers clenching and unclenching the white picket railing of the porch. "Surely you couldn't have come all this way just for me."

"I did," he replied. "I wanted my wife to come along but she didn't think you'd want to see her. She's embarrassed by her actions and rightly so. I'm still not quite sure what got into her. Patty knows better than to throw things like that at you."

Sasha stood quietly and listened, and all she was hearing was that Patricia couldn't be bothered to personally apologize to her, so she sent her hubby to do her dirty work. Which was fine by her. She didn't want to see the other woman either. "I just need you to know that I would never try to put a rift between Joe and your family," she told Sika. "He adores you all and holds you in such high regard."

"I know. I can tell he cares a lot about you. He's different with you. Better, which is good." Sika trained his sights on the beach, clearing his throat. "My boy's been a little…fragile for some time now and it's about time he got out of the funk he's been in. Fragile is the last thing he should be feeling if he wants to break into the main event scene."

The statement did not surprise Sasha in the least. "Is it all about wrestling with you, Sir?"

"Excuse me?"

"Are those the only conversations you have with Joe?" she queried, her tongue slackening more and more as her patience began to crumble. "The only thing you have time for? I'm just curious."

Sika's bushy brows furrowed. "Are you insinuating that I don't care for my son?"

Sasha shook her head. "It just feels to me that wrestling is the be-all end-all for you when it comes to Joe, despite the fact that there's other things going on with him. It certainly seems that way."

"Wrestling is what he was born to do, Sasha," Sika replied, his tone far less friendly now, "It's been his outlet for as long as I can remember and I just want him to be the best he can be. All I want for him is to be successful."

Sasha could tell she had ruffled his feathers but she was past caring. Now she understood why Joe was acting the way he was. "So he's going to achieve that success at the cost of his physical and mental wellbeing? Do you truly understand what Andrea did to your son? Do you know he's not over it, three years after? And on top of that you've been piling all this pressure on him to the point where he's so afraid of disappointing you that he's stuffing his face with pills to numb his pain." Sasha didn't know what to think anymore. This was a household in denial and she didn't know what to make of it.

"Dad! What's going on over there?" Joe appeared on the porch with his luggage at the sound of the raised voices, wary grey eyes switching between his father and girlfriend.

Sika looked at his youngest child, his face pale. "Leati, what's this I'm hearing about pills?"

Joe gaped at Sasha. "You _told_ him?"

"I had to," she defended, "He has to know what his shoving his ambitions down your throat is doing to you." Without waiting for a response she brushed past him, returning to the bedroom to retrieve her own things.

Joe turned back around, making an exasperated sound as he did so. Sika and Matt stared at Joe, the older man wearing a remorseful expression. "Son…I didn't know-"

"It's nothing, dad," Joe interjected. "I don't want your lecture or your sympathy. I have a flight to catch." He moved away from them, heading for his car and putting his luggage away, looking over to see Sasha coming out of the house with hers.

"I'll take that." Matt got to her before Joe did. He relieved her of her suitcase, sending her a warm smile before leading the way to Joe's car. He helped her stow it away in the trunk and then faced her, his hands stuffed into his pockets as he waited for her to do the same. He'd been quiet up until this moment and Sasha wondered what he had to say.

"I'm sorry about all of this, Sasha," he said. "Our meeting was less than ideal and I feel terrible about it."

His eyes shone with sincerity, and the mother of two felt the resentment clogging her heart thaw. She liked Matt, and it wasn't exactly his fault that his mother thought little of her. "You shouldn't," she answered honestly but briefly, not knowing what else to say.

Matt's eyes searched her face. He started to say more when the sound of the engine starting drowned him out. The former WWE Superstar knew his baby brother well enough to know the timing of the interruption was not coincidental. He settled for pulling Sasha into a hug. "Thanks for being there for my little brother," he spoke in her ear, and she heard the slight crack of emotion in his voice. "Please keep at it. You're good for him."

Sasha smiled at him, her first genuine smile all morning. "Thank you, Matt. That means a lot to me."

She got into the passenger's side, overhearing Sika asking Joe to call him when he got back to Tampa. She didn't hear the younger man's answer, but his expression as he drove away told the entire story.

"I cannot believe you told him about the painkillers," he griped.

"Why? So you could keep hiding it from him?" she retorted. He would not make her feel bad, not when she hadn't done anything wrong.

"Sasha, he thinks I'm weak! I can see it in his eyes."

"You're not weak! You're human! I don't know where this mentality is coming from!"

He started to say something else, then decided otherwise, exhaling a breath instead. He shook his head, tightening his grip on the wheel. "I wasn't bullshittin' when I told you you wouldn't understand," he muttered, loud enough for her to hear.

"Then help me understand," she implored.

"Forget about it."

"So you're pissed at me because I was trying to help? Really, Joe?"

"Just drop it, okay?" he said brusquely. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Sasha couldn't believe this was happening. "You know what? I can't do this right now."

"Can't do what?"

She tried to choose her next words carefully and prayed he wouldn't take them the wrong way. But at this moment she felt she was out of options. "Joe, I feel there's a lot of things you need to sort out right now. Patch things up with your parents for one. But more importantly, you need to take care of yourself. Your mind, body and spirit. I don't think you're in a healthy state of mind and you need to fix that." She sighed. "It's the only way you and I can move forward. At least that's how I feel."

As soon as the words left her lips, she knew she had his full attention. With all the courage she could muster, she looked up at him. A cold hand gripped her heart at the look on his face, flush with emotion. When he opened his mouth to speak, his tone held barely-restrained fury.

"Sounds like you're breaking up with me, baby girl," he said. Venom dripped from the term of endearment.

She shook her head. "I'm not. But you know I'm right. It's not like your mother is enamored with me anyway."

"She was out of line."

"She was," Sasha agreed, "But Joe, the last thing I want is for you to be in conflict with your family because of me. I would never want that for you but I can already see it happening."

"Are you being serious right now?" He looked at her, and Sasha felt her chest tighten at the hurt in his eyes.

"Baby, I'm not breaking up with you. But there's too much going on right now. If your family for one can't accept me how do you want us to work?" she defended, "How would you feel if Mia and T.K. didn't want anything to do with you?" Call her selfish, but there was no way she could endure that kind of hostility from her boyfriend's mother. Not again. Not after Trevor.

"So you're just going to give up on us?" He snorted. He was angry. Upset. "Typical."

Her eyes narrowed. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she demanded. "Joe, I get that you're angry but I don't mean it the way that you think."

"Oh, it's _exactly_ the way that I think," he growled, "And that's fine. If that's what you want, fine. I won't stop you."

"It's not!" Sasha swallowed back tears. "Baby, don't do this."

But he ignored her, like she had done to him earlier. She touched his arm but he shrugged her off, choosing to pay extra attention to his driving. He didn't speak to her again.

The trip back was tense and uncomfortable. Other than helping her sort out her ticket information at the airport, Joe basically ignored Sasha. He didn't speak to her on the plane either. It was Sasha's first ever plane ride which turned out to be a miserable one because Joe was giving her the cold shoulder. Cold resentment dictated his every move, his every expression, and for the first time since they met, Sasha wished she was anywhere but with him.

It was the same treatment she received when they landed in Tampa, when they left the airport to head to her home. It was when they arrived at her apartment building that she finally snapped. "Enough with this silent treatment shit, Joe! If you got something to say to me how about you just say it!"

His jaw worked again as he shrugged his shoulder. "Ain't nothin' to say. You obviously have everything figured out," he retorted, his voice low and angry.

"For God's sake, you're acting like a child."

Joe rolled his eyes. "I suppose that's apropos, since you probably see me as one. Remind me, how far is the age gap again? Ten, twenty years?"

Pain stabbed her heart like a hot knife. "Joe-"

"I got an idea. How about you give Orton a call," he interrupted icily, "I know he still wants in your pants. He's old enough for you isn't he?"

At his biting words, her features crumpled in disbelief. Without meaning to, she burst out laughing, because it was the only way she could react to that ridiculous statement. "Are you serious? You're bringing _Randy_ into this?"

Her laughter only served to incense the Samoan even more. "Glad to see you think this is funny," he sneered.

It wasn't. It was not funny at all and they both knew it. "Joe-"

"You know, you're so damn selfish," he spat out, fully turning his body to face her. The look of disgust on his face tainted his beauty. "The first sign of trouble and you're running! You seem to be very good at that, by the way. Do you even care about our relationship?"

Sasha was so shocked that for a second she couldn't breathe. A vice had closed around her lungs and was squeezing the life out of them. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that to me," she said slowly, her voice just as low and equally dangerous. "When you're done living in denial, give me a call." She threw the door open. "Asshole."

She pushed herself out of the car on wobbly legs. She felt faint but she remained resolute, managing to retrieve her luggage from the back seat. Joe didn't look at her once, his glare fixed stubbornly straight ahead, and Sasha found herself struggling not to break down, her balance growing more tenuous with every step towards her apartment building.

Behind her, she heard Joe drive away.

* * *

_**My heart hurt writing this. :(**_

_**Whose side are you on? Sasha's? Joe's? No one's? Do both of them have valid points or are they both in the wrong? Is this the part where the end starts? I'd like to hear all of it so kindly bring them in. **_

_**Got bored and created Into the Deep End banners. They're up on my profile page. Let me know what you think, if you'd like. :)**_

_**More updates to come soon. **__**Thanks for everything, guys!**_


	30. Chapter 30

_**A/N: Wow guys. What a response to the last update! You were all so upset, lol. I loved reading every single review (I always do) and I loved how passionate they were. It was very interesting to see that it was split down the middle too, some of you on Joe's side, some on Sasha's, a few neutral. That was so cool. Even better was you all had really good points of view. It kind of brought a tear to my eye, really, that's how amazing they all were. Thank you guys for that!**_

_**Special thank yous to **__Ctinaisfashion, too much drama 1225, Bharm, ChelleLew, LuxuriaVanitas, ThatGirl54, ItsGbruhh, Olivia Reigns, IRENELOVE83, Siren's Call To The Dead, benova13, Guest, ItReignsJustice-619, Alisi824, Shield316, CFierce116, Alexis Black-Reigns, aliveagain, DeeMarie426, nikki1335, Tammy, justkimmy and princessreigns__** for the reviews. Also, big hugs and kisses to the new favorites and follows. Welcome :)**_

_**And now, the fallout from Pensacola. Is Jasha truly over? Enjoy!**_

* * *

"If that bag was a person, it'd be dead by now."

From across the gym, Jon, Colby, Jonny and Trinity looked on wearily as Joe laid waste to a poor defenseless punching bag. He'd been at it for half an hour straight with no breaks, only pausing to take the occasional gulp of water. Ever since he returned from Pensacola, he'd been in a surly mood. They were back on the road pretty quickly and though he was still his solid ass-kicking self in the ring he was a different person once the cameras were turned off. He was moody and broody and talked even less than he usually did. They were shocked to hear he'd broken up with Sasha and when they pressed for more details he'd been very vague. Trinity had received the same reaction from Sasha when she texted her and they all deduced that something had gone down in Pensacola. These days Joe spent all his time moping and staring miserably at his phone, and when he wasn't doing that, he was staring into space. They hadn't seen him act like this since Andrea and it was worrying. "He's so sad," Trinity lamented. "What do we do, guys?"

"We let him be," said Jonny, already seeing his fiancée's Mother Hen feathers sprouting. "Relax, babe. He'll talk to us when he's ready."

"It's been a week!" she contested.

"It was much longer the last time, remember?" said Colby. "We just have to be there for him now like we were then. He'd do the same for any of us."

They continued to watch him like a hawk until he finished, toweling himself before picking up his things and leaving the gym. He completely ignored Randy Orton and the Big Show as they walked in. The smaller of the two men slowed down to watch the retreating, slouched form of the Samoan. "What's up his ass?" Randy asked the rookies.

Jon squared his blue eyes at the older man. "What do you care?"

"Come to think of it, your boy has been moping around a lot lately," Randy remarked. "Let me guess, trouble in Paradise?"

"None of your business so get to steppin'," Jon countered.

The Cincinnati native's defensive tone prompted the Viper's blue eyes to light up. He crossed his arms. "So there_ is_ trouble."

"Keep walkin', Orton. Trouble or not, you and Sasha ain't gonna happen."

A cold smile touched the corners of Randy's mouth. "You sound so sure, Ambrose."

"Because I am. I heard through the grapevine that she called you out in Jacksonville. You see, not every chick within a twenty mile radius of you is gonna fall for your little charm schtick. Thought you'd have learned that by now." Jon's smile was just as wicked. "Don't you got reps to botch or somethin'?"

With dangerously narrowed eyes, Randy came up to Jon, staring him right down. Of course, the man they called the Lunatic Fringe always itched for a fight. He straightened up, meeting the veteran's hardened gaze squarely. Trinity glanced anxiously between the two men, as did Colby and Jonny, standing nearby just in case.

Randy scowled at him. "Better watch it, Ambrose." Casting a warning glare at the rest of the group, he stalked off to rejoin Show.

Jon scoffed. "Ass wipe." He didn't like Orton and he never would.

Jonny tried not to laugh. "Bro, that big-ass mouth of yours is gonna get you killed, dawg."

"Do you blame him though?" Colby said to Jonny. "Imagine if you and Trin were having problems and some douchebag wanted to swoop in on her, how would you feel? Exactly," he added on seeing the Samoan's features harden.

"Besides, I've had this 'big-ass' mouth for twenty-seven plus years and I'm still standing," Jon added. "I'm helping my boy mark his territory. Sasha belongs to Joe. She'll probably knee me in the balls for saying it like that if she was here, but it's a fact."

"Who are you texting?" Jonny asked Trinity, drawn to the suddenly determined look on her face.

"I'm bringing in the big guns," she declared, her thumb skittering across the screen of her phone.

"What do you mean?" He leaned closer to her for a glimpse of her phone and lifted his eyebrow. "Wait, you want her to come _here_? Do you really wanna do that?"

"She's in town and she's the only one he listens to," Trinity replied.

Jonny sighed. "You know he gonna call you a snitch, right?"

"It's for his own good. I don't like seeing him like this, it's not healthy."

"This better not blow up in your face, Trin. You could end up making things worse," said Colby, with Jon nodding in agreement.

"It won't," she vowed. Putting her phone away, she looked around at the three men. "Trust me. He needs this."

* * *

Joe lay on his bed, glad to finally have some alone time. He was getting tired of the questions and the hovering. He knew his friends meant well but he needed space. Space to think. Which admittedly was all he seemed to be doing these days. Thinking about her. Wondering about her.

Missing her something awful.

It was only a week ago but it felt like a year since their fight. He missed the sound of her voice. He wanted to talk to her so bad right now. He missed talking with her, holding her in his arms, kissing her. Making love to her. Everything about her and with her was different and had been so from the day they first met. Spending time with her, talking about anything and everything, satisfied his need for a friend, for companionship, the need he had to protect and take care of someone. Her. Her kids. He regarded her as his equal, his confidante. Sex with her satisfied him physically as a man, as a lover. It was always hot and sensual and intimate and intense and stirred feelings inside him that he never thought he'd feel again. She satisfied him completely, physically and emotionally, something he hadn't felt in years. Because after Andrea, he'd only opted for casual, meaningless flings where no one would get attached. Even when it became boring and it made him feel emptier and lonelier inside, he kept at it because he thought it was for the best. Over the time they were together, Sasha showed him that he deserved more. He did want more and he wanted it with her. But he threw it all away in the heat of the moment and he regretted it every single day.

The moment he drove off he knew he made a mistake. They had said some unsavory things to each other but all he wanted to do was go back to her, to apologize and start over. Since then he'd thought a million times about calling her in the hope that they could work things out. But each time he took his phone and stared at her beautiful grinning face, he held himself back. Because he knew it would never be that easy anymore. He'd gone over it in his head over and over and it boiled down to the same conclusion. He'd hurt her badly enough that she would want nothing to do with him ever again.

And his heart broke afresh.

There was a knock on his door. He thought about ignoring it but it quickly grew persistent. Sighing out loud, he went to open it. _I swear to God if anyone asks me if I'm okay one more time I'ma break a motherfucker's face._

Alma stood at the other side of the door. "Wow, you look like crap."

Joe rolled his eyes, opened the door wider for her and returned to his bed, throwing a muscular arm over his eyes. "What are you doing here? Don't you have some conference to be at?"

"It's not until this evening, so no," she answered, "And I wanted to come visit my baby brother, my sons' favorite uncle. But don't tell Matt that, okay?"

"Trinity snitched, didn't she?"

She sat down on the bed next to his outstretched legs. "She's worried about you, Leati. We all are. And I know you're going to say you're fine but you're not. You don't even look fine."

Joe made no response, instead turning over, pulling his legs up and curling up into a ball in the middle of the bed. Alma sighed. "Ugh, you've gone into baby mode." She patted his leg. "Get up. Let's go get lunch. I have a couple of hours to kill before the conference tonight."

"Do I have to?" Joe whined.

"Dude, are you seriously turning down free food?" she asked incredulously.

He quickly jumped up. "Oh, you're paying? Give me five minutes."

Alma laughed and shook her head. "Dumbass."

* * *

The siblings ended up in a quaint little Italian restaurant several blocks away from Joe's hotel. It didn't take long for Alma to bust out her gentle coaxing technique that never failed to work on her baby brother, and of course he ended up opening up to her and telling her what was on his mind. Which was a lot. He always liked how she listened without interrupting, allowing him to pour his heart out. "I hurt her Al," he concluded sadly, "I said things to her I should have never said."

"You hurt each other," Alma surmised, taking a bite of her lasagna. "Yes it seemed like she was running and maybe it was bad timing. But put yourself in her shoes. You need to understand how she's feeling. She's used to being on her own and being independent and living a quiet simple life. Then she meets you and the next thing she knows she's thrust into this life and this lifestyle she's never seen before. She finds out this huge thing that happened with your ex and it's clear you're not over it. On top of that your mother doesn't show her any love. It had to overwhelm her."

"I know." He recalled the look on Sasha's face when they were in the car, the devastation in her eyes. Guilt nagged at him. "I was overwhelmed too; by Mom badgering her, Pop constantly badgering me, telling Sasha about Andrea…it was all one big clusterfuck and I'll admit I didn't handle it too well."

Alma looked up from her food. "You know Mom was only trying to protect you, right? Back at the house?"

Joe frowned. "That's no excuse. She shouldn't have treated Sasha that way no matter what. It was disrespectful of her."

"Listen. After everything that happened with Andrea, Ma felt guilty," said Alma. "She still does. She's hurt that she never saw through Andrea, that she couldn't protect you as a mother from the heartache you went through. She knows she messed up with Sasha. But _my_ issue here is the painkillers Leati. Come on. What are you thinking? We _can't_ be talking about drugs again, not this family. You know what we all went through with Eki and Rodney, as well as countless other wrestlers in the past several years. Need I say more?"

Joe stared down at his plate, pushing his food around. "I know. I just thought I could handle it on my own, you know? I don't want to be a disappointment again. I couldn't make it in the NFL, remember? I don't want the same to happen in the WWE."

"You know that's not going to happen. You bust your ass every single day and you've been doing that since day one and it's paying dividends. You're closing out Raws and SmackDowns and stealing the show at pay-per-views. Hell, you've already made it to a WrestleMania! You really don't need none of that shit."

"I know. I've been working on it." It was the truth. All week he had been taking slow but positive steps towards recovery, all of which he listed to Alma. Something he wished he could tell Sasha as well. She would have been proud.

"Dad didn't realize how hard he was pushing you," Alma continued. "He only wants to see you succeed, the same as the rest of us." She took a sip of her soda. "He said Sasha pretty much laid into him. Said she made him open his eyes." She smiled. "He likes her, you know. He likes her spunk. So do Matt, Cass and I. She's a good one, irrespective of what Mom thinks. When you first told me about her all those months ago I instantly knew you liked her. I'll admit I questioned whether three years was too soon for you to delve into a serious relationship but that changed when it became obvious how happy she makes you."

She did make him happy, and to know it was all ruined did not sit well with him at all. Joe bowed his head, his broad shoulders hunched and making him look even more drained and despondent. "I miss her, Alma," he whispered. "I miss her so much it fuckin' hurts."

Alma leaned back in her chair to observe her baby brother. "I know exactly how you feel about her, Leati. I think I knew from day one," she said, smiling when his grey eyes met her matching ones. "And deep down you probably do too. Set things right with her. Don't let her go so easily."

There was a hint of hope in his expression as he looked at Alma. "You think she'll come around? After everything?"

"If she cares for you the way I think she does, then yes," she replied after a moment's silence, "But it's up to you to make the right move first."

Joe absorbed his oldest sibling's words, a new determination rising within him. He knew what he needed to do. He just hoped he wasn't too late.

* * *

She could watch Mia dance all day long if she was allowed to.

Watching her glide gracefully around Pam's living room to the Goo Goo Dolls' 'Iris', pride swelled within Sasha, as it always did. She looked so beautiful. She had been dancing ever since she was a toddler and it amazed her how far she had come even at such a young age with limited resources. As much as she knew the eight-year-old had inherited her dancing skills from her, Sasha hadn't possessed half of Mia's talent at this age. Her versatility – whether it was fluid contemporary, sharp jazz or gritty hip-hop, she had a strong grasp on them all; her technique and performances, executed with a graceful crispness and maturity beyond her years. Like her older brother, Mia loved the spotlight and the attention and it was where she belonged. Her elementary school had a talent show coming up in a few weeks and Pam was assisting her with the contemporary piece she was to perform that night. Sasha saw that she'd missed out on quite a lot of prepping in her absence. She liked to be there for the development of the piece, to give Mia tips or simply provide moral support. A part of her wished she had stayed behind in Tampa the week before to oversee Mia's preparations. Perhaps if she had, her personal life would be a very different story today.

"She's amazing, isn't she?"

She looked up to see Pam settling down across from her at the kitchen island with a cup of coffee, silently awaiting her answer. "She is," Sasha agreed, facing her daughter again. "You've done so great with her. All the dance classes, the tutoring, everything."

"Naw, babe. The talent is all her. Charlie and I just tweak it a little." The petite woman quietly stirred the contents of her cup with a teaspoon. "Now that we've established that, are you finally going to tell me what happened with you and Joe?"

At the sound of his name, Sasha's chest tightened and she pursed her lips. Two weeks had gone by since she walked out of Joe's car and didn't look back. The scene replayed over and over in her head ever since. Her anger towards Joe hadn't completely subsided but it didn't stop her from thinking about him. From missing him. The silence between them was becoming deafening and she had to wonder if this was how it was going to end between them. "It's nothing."

"Child. This is me you're talking to," Pam reprimanded her. "You ain't been the same since you got back. You always look like you've been crying. Raw or SmackDown comes on and you bolt. I come over to your place and you've got Mary J. Blige whining on the stereo. Mary of all people! Now that's a cry for help if there ever was one and I'm here to rescue your ass. Talk. Now."

She really didn't want to talk about it or think about it anymore. All it did was make her feel like her heart was breaking all over again. She should be used to the feeling; for some reason pain and hurt always found her. However she and Pam never kept things from each other. That was a promise they'd made to each other a long time ago. So she took a deep breath and told her everything, only leaving out the details about Andrea's misdeeds out of respect for Joe. As expected, the more she talked the more upset she got. By the time she was finished she was fighting back tears and Pam's expression was grim. "Damn," she commented, "That was rough."

"I get why he's angry and maybe he has a right to be," Sasha rambled, "He's been struggling and suffering all by himself, keeping so many things bottled inside. All I wanted was to be there for him but it was just so crazy." She fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist, the same one Joe had given her in Miami. If she closed her eyes and thought hard enough, she could still smell the intoxicating aroma of sea breeze blending with Joe's cologne like it had that day. "It's been two weeks and I haven't heard a word from him. He's probably moved on. He finally realized he was wasting his time with me all along."

"You know that's not true, Sash," Pam shook her head. "He's just upset about how everything went down. He wanted you and his family to get along but it didn't happen. All the pressure he's been feeling finally caught up to him and sadly you got caught in the crossfire. Telling you about Andrea must have taken a toll on him too. I'm not condoning what he did though. He said some pretty foul shit to you and acted like a prick. But he told you this huge thing only for you to suggest that you break up shortly afterwards. I'm sure he feels like you abandoned him."

"I didn't mean to make it sound like that. I just meant there's so much going on with him that he needs to fix on his own. The drama with his dad, the pills. That was the part I couldn't handle. You know how I feel about drugs after everything that happened with Cliff. And Joe…I kept asking and asking but he kept telling me not to worry. He got in so deep with them and I didn't realize it. His family didn't even know about it, not even his beloved mother. And her…you should have seen the way she looked at me, Pam. The way she talked to me. She doesn't want me with him. I put myself in her shoes and I don't blame her. Can you imagine if T.K. brought a twenty-five year old woman home? Hell, I'd probably not like her either." She met Pam's eyes. "Pam…Joe wants children."

Pam held her gaze, words silently exchanged between them, then blew out a breath. "I figured. His interactions with Mia was a giveaway."

Sasha ran a trembling hand over the back of her neck. "Remember what happened when she was born?"

"How could I ever forget the night I almost lost you, Sash?" Pam said, her own eyes glazing at the horrific memory.

"Exactly. And remember what the Doctor said. I'm older now. Getting pregnant is going to be just as difficult now if not more. Pam, I never thought he would want kids with me. I never thought that far ahead with our relationship. Joe deserves to have everything he wants in life and I don't know if I can give it all to him." Sasha swallowed hard, her expression one of despair. "I knew, I knew there was a reason I should have backed off from the start," she lamented. "I tried to tell him no when he first gave me his number but I couldn't resist him. I don't know what the fuck I was thinking letting things get this far with a guy so much younger than me. I'm a fool."

"Babe, relax," Pam told her, "Look, the past few weeks has been a lot for you to take in. This is new for you and it's overwhelming. Maybe this time apart is what you two really need."

But Sasha shook her head. "I don't think I'm ever going to see him again. We haven't spoken since that day. Not one word. He always texts me at least. But this time, nothing. He doesn't want me anymore. Hell, he's probably found someone new while I'm sitting here pining for him because my dumb ass just had to fall in love with him…"

Shit.

Admitting it out loud drove it home for her and she was overcome with emotion once more. Burying her face in her hands, the tears she'd been holding in finally broke free.

Pam shifted closer and put her arms around her best friend. "Let it out, sweetie. Let it all out," she whispered, which only made the mother of two cry harder. "It's so good to finally hear you say that. It's about damn time." When Sasha looked at her, she said, "Trick, you've been in love with that man for the longest time. Either you didn't realize it or you just didn't want to admit it."

Sasha sniffled as Pam wiped away her tears. "I hate how I feel, Pam," she sobbed. "I told myself I'd never depend on any man no more and that's exactly what's happened. I can't stop thinking about him. I want to pick up the phone so badly but I don't know if he wants to talk to me. I miss him like fuckin' crazy and I feel like I can't breathe without him." She meant every word. She missed everything about him and their time together. There was so much she'd taken for granted. Like how he always treated her like a lady; how he had to touch her in some way whenever they were together, either holding her hand or putting an arm around her waist; how they would talk on the phone about nothing for hours in the middle of the night, how he would say silly things to make her laugh. How her older age meant nothing to him, or so she'd thought. How hands-on he was with T.K. and Mia. His protectiveness, the way her heart pounded when he looked at her. The way she forgot how to think when he kissed her; the fire he ignited in her body and soul when they made love. She had one of his t-shirts and she still wore it to sleep simply because it smelled like him. She knew she was torturing herself, she did. For the first time in nearly a decade she felt lost, and she felt lost without Joe by her side. "I'm sick of feeling like this. It hurts."

"You're in love, that's why it hurts," said Pam, rubbing her shoulders. "It's perfectly normal to feel this way. And you ain't gotta worry about Joe not wanting you because he does. That boy's crazy about you. Have you seen the way he stares at you when you're not looking? The way he smiles when you talk to him or when he talks about you? He feels the exact same way about you, girl. He'll come around. Give him time. And when he does you make sure the two of you talk. Like a proper heart-to-heart, a no holds barred conversation. Tell him about the complications with you and let him take it from there. I don't even know how you didn't mention it to him in the first place."

Sasha rolled her eyes. "Um, 'hey, I almost kicked the bucket giving birth to my second kid' isn't exactly an ideal topic of conversation," she refuted. She couldn't possibly imagine looking him in the eye and saying that to him after what he went through with Andrea. "What if I tell him and he does walk?"

Pam took a long look at the younger woman. She always told it like it was and she wasn't about to stop now. "Then he walks," she said sadly. "Flaws and all, Joe is a good guy. I mean that. He's the first man you've been with that I actually like. And like you said, he deserves everything he wants in life. You have children already. He should have his own someday if that's what he wants."

The thought of Joe with another woman, making love to her, having babies with her, sent a hot wave of jealousy through Sasha. But as much as it hurt her heart, she knew Pam was right. She gave a fresh sob and leaned into Pam, savoring her best friend's ever-comforting embrace.

"Come on," Pam stated, gently sitting Sasha up before taking her hands and squeezing them. "Let's hang out this weekend. Just you and me. We can go to the spa, get manicures and facials, get our hair did. Or we could have dinner, go to a club and hit on guys even though we should know better. We'll do whatever you want. How's that sound?"

Despite her crappy mood, she sent an amused look Pam's way. "You just got paid huh?"

Pam returned her grin. "Something like that." Glancing down at her vibrating phone, she rolled her eyes. "I gotta head downstairs. The idiots at Reception finally found my missing mail. I'll be right back."

After she left, Sasha went to the sink and splashed some water on her face to wash away all traces of her sorrow. Clearing her throat, she returned her attention to Mia, who was rounding off a pirouette. "Lookin' good, baby," she praised, sitting on an armchair in the living room to get a closer look. "You're doing better with your extensions."

"Thanks." She turned off the music and began a series of body stretches, eyeing her mother all the while. "Mama, did something happen between you and Joe?"

It was a perfectly innocent question, but one that caused her stomach to knot uncomfortably. Trust her daughter to be so observant. "Why do you say that, baby?"

Mia approached Sasha, sitting on the armrest next to her and leaning into her mother's touch as she rubbed her back. "Well, you don't smile so much anymore. He always makes you smile. And he doesn't call or come around anymore like he used to. Why?" she stated, cocking her head to the side curiously. "Are you two fighting?"

Sasha's heartstrings tugged at how sad she looked. Oh dear. Her little girl had become attached. This was what she'd been afraid of. "We just had a little disagreement." That was really the only way she could explain it. "Don't worry yourself about it, okay?"

Mia wound her arms around Sasha's neck and pressed her cheek against hers. "I'm not worried, Mama. I know you'll work it out."

Sasha pulled back and gave her a feeble smile. "I hope so, baby."

The eight-year-old patted both sides of her mother's face. Her smile was as confident as the next words she spoke. "You will. You love each other."

* * *

_**You guys are amazing. Every single one of you. To know you've enjoyed this story enough to constantly review, to the point that ITDE has passed the 500 mark, is mind-blowing and inspiring. I'd like to think I'm a confident person but there's nothing wrong with having a little extra, you know, and all the feedback and attention I've received thanks to ITDE has given that to me in spades. Trying not to cry now, lol. I really, really can't thank you all enough. I'll keep trying to improve with every update for your reading pleasure.**_

_**A lot of real talk in this update. Thoughts?**_


	31. Chapter 31

_**One of my quicker chapters. *in Lil' Jon's voice* Yeahhh!**_

_**A few people mentioned that I dragged the Jasha drama on for too long. Loves, it's only been four chapters, it's not **_**that **_**long. At least compared to other stuff I've read. I had to leave one story I was reading on this site alone because the drama started halfway through the fic, right? And there's a sequel but the two primary characters still haven't reconciled, lol. Now **_**that's**_** dragging drama. I'm not a fan of it either. Drama is always needed in a story but it gets boring fast when it goes on for chapters on end. I prefer to keep it at a minimum and the same goes for this fic as well as my other ones. But it's really nice to know that you care enough for Joe and Sasha's relationship that you never want to see them fight, so I thank you. :)**_

_**High fives (or hugs if you'd prefer) to **__too much drama 1225, Bharm, WWEbabe2442, Tammy, Sasha, Alisi824, Olivia Reigns, ItsGbruhh, nikki1335, CFierce116, ItReignsJustice-619, LuxuriaVanitas, DeeMarie426, IRENELOVE83, ChelleLew, princessreigns, Shield316, benova13__** and**__ justkimmy __**for the feedback! Mwah!**_

_**Couldn't find a better song choice for this chapter than 'Nobody Wants to be Lonely' by Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera. Amazing song. Enjoy!**_

* * *

Goddamn headache.

Sasha shuffled around the Grill, wishing she could just lie down and sleep for the rest of the day. Where the headache came from she didn't know but it needed to go. She needed to work and it was imperative that things went smoothly like it always did in Reggie's absence. So downing some aspirin with a cup of coffee, she ploughed on, attending to customers, telling Amber off, making sure Old Man Maurice was taken care of, plunging back into her usual rhythm until she felt some semblance of normality again.

"You've been damn cranky lately," Amber griped, shutting the cash register before facing the older woman. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Sasha answered a little too quickly.

"Something or someone's pissed you off. Is it T.K.? Lover Boy? Whose ass do you want me to kick?"

Sasha snorted. "Ha. You can't even kick a football right, let alone someone's ass."

"Hey, don't knock me, Sash. I may be all skin and bone but I step up when I need to."

"Right." Sasha flipped the notebook in her hand and swiftly changed the subject. "Reggie says the new guy is coming in next week. You and I need to plan out his orientation."

"Can't we get Oliver to do it? I mean he hardly does anything around here anyway," Amber complained. "I may sound like a total bitch for saying this but I really think that guy needs to go-"

But Sasha had stopped listening. A chill had swept through her spine out of nowhere. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. Something pushed her to direct her gaze towards the entrance of the Grill, and she did.

Joe stood by the door. Staring right at her.

It took Sasha a couple of seconds to establish that she wasn't hallucinating. She stood frozen as his eyes trapped hers, slowly bleeding out her surroundings and everything else around her until it was just him, and her, and the pain and hurt from three weeks ago. It felt like a lifetime and a monumental effort before her inner defenses finally broke the hypnosis. Tearing her gaze away, she wordlessly handed Amber the notebook and made a beeline for the back room.

Amber tried to stop her. "Where are you going?" She glanced curiously at the entrance. "Are you _running_ from him, Sash?"

"No," Sasha lied, not liking the way her heart was currently racing.

"Well, he's obviously here to see you," the brunette retorted, carefully observing her colleague. "But if you want I can hold him off."

"Thanks," she said gratefully. She ducked into the back room, which suddenly felt like the safest place in the Grill. She put her hands on the long table in the corner and took deep breaths. This was the first time she was laying eyes on him in three weeks. She tried not to speculate or figure out why he was here. It didn't matter. What he did was no longer her business. At least that was what she'd been telling herself for the past three weeks and she would keep drumming it into her head until she believed it.

The air in the room changed. Shifted. Charged with that familiar tension again.

"Sasha."

She should have known. Amber never stood a chance against the will, the force, of Joe Anoa'i. She was probably still lying in the puddle he'd reduced her to with that silky, sexy baritone voice that now haunted Sasha's dreams at night.

Against her better judgment, she turned around. The first thing she noticed was the dark circles clashing unpleasantly with his grey eyes, like he hadn't slept in a long time. His beard was close to rivalling Colby's. A large bouquet of yellow roses was in his grasp. Sasha glanced at it then turned away. Even in her desolate state of mind her heart still hardened at the sight of him, at the thought of how callously he'd treated her all those weeks ago. "Only authorized staff are allowed in here," she said coolly.

She heard him chuckle; a deep, throaty, teasing rasp that always made her knees weaken. "Ain't never stopped us before, sweetheart," he smirked, subtly reminding her of the steamy quickie they had a couple of months back on the very table she was resting her hands on. The memory caused her to snatch them away from the surface and cross them over her breasts. "What'chu want?" she demanded, still not looking at him.

Joe knew that gesture anywhere. Her guard was up. "To apologize."

She made a derisive sound. "You show up at my workplace with flowers and that's supposed to make everything better?"

"Not right away, but it could be a start," said Joe. "I learned that you give someone a yellow rose to show them how sorry you are. I uh, got about two dozen," he added hopefully.

"You called me selfish. You accused me of wanting another man. You acted like I didn't give a damn about our relationship and made me feel like shit." She shook her head angrily, blinking back the tears that sprang to her eyes. _Don't you dare cry. Not again._

"I'm an asshole."

"Good, something we agree on."

In spite of the situation, he smiled at her quick retorts. He would always be enamored by her feistiness. "I'm the one who was selfish," he acknowledged. "You were only trying to show me I needed help and I was only thinking about myself. I'm sorry. For everything. The way I treated you, the things I said to you."

He sounded sincere and heartfelt, and as angry as she was, she was glad he had at least taken the time to view the situation from her perspective. She had done the same, from his own end. With a heavy sigh, she ran a nervous hand down her apron. "I'm sorry too. It must have seemed like I was abandoning you, especially after I told you what was going on with me and you didn't walk away. It was shitty to make you feel that way."

"I understand why you did what you did. You had my best interests at heart, like you always do." He looked down at her, noticing that she'd lost a bit of weight. The blue sundress she wore looked baggier than it was supposed to be. Guilt nudged at him. "All of this is new for you. You stepped out of your comfort zone to be with me and I didn't realize how hard it must be for you."

"I shouldn't have called you a child either," Sasha said in a soft voice. "You're not. You're a grown man and I respect you so much. What you do. What you've been through. You've gone through some things older men couldn't handle and you're still standing tall."

"You've helped me through them," said Joe, "You don't realize it but you have."

"Surely I can't take all the credit," she said, wincing as she massaged her temple.

"Headache?" he asked softly, a look of concern on his face as he moved into the room.

"Yeah," she groaned, her senses tingling as he stood right in front of her. Joe gently undid the band that was keeping her ponytail in place. "This thing can't be helping," he commented. "It's pulling your hair back really tight."

It did feel better once her hair fell loose. "You're probably right," she said, as Joe's fingers glided into her hair, loosening the shape of the ponytail. God, he smelled so good it was making her dizzy. With his chest at her eye level, she fought the urge to grab his face and kiss him as it rushed over her violently.

"I like your hair," Joe complimented, coiling a lock around his index finger. "The blonde streaks are very pretty."

The sweet talk definitely was not helping her resolve. "Thanks."

Joe looked at her, her eyes shut as he kept massaging her scalp. It was taking everything inside of him not to dip his face into the hollow of her neck, to hear her moan for him as he traced his lips along that certain weak spot of hers. "Better?" he said instead.

"Much. Thanks, Joe."

Her smile warmed his heart. Gosh, he missed seeing that smile, the way it lit up her eyes. He really could not let her slip away, not again. Picking out a single rose from the bouquet, he tucked it into her hair before letting his hand fall to her shoulder. He stared sadly at her, painfully aware of how she avoided his gaze. Tentatively, he touched her face, and was relieved when she didn't shy away.

"I hate that we're not talking, baby girl. I hate that we're fighting," he whispered. "The last three weeks have been hell, Sasha." He cupped her cheek in his palm. "I miss you."

Sasha looked up, her gaze soft and yearning as she searched his own and her feelings battled within her. She knew all along that she couldn't stay mad even if she wanted to. At last, she said, "I miss you too. I've been thinking about you and how things went down between us. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," said Joe, as she rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. He held her close, all the tension in his body dissolving in a deep sigh as he breathed in her scent. He wasn't sure he would ever get to hold her like this again.

"We should talk," Sasha said, pulling back but not letting go of him. "I finish up in an hour. Let's go somewhere where it's just us."

Joe nodded, almost eagerly. This was all he wanted from her; another chance. "How about my place? We can order takeout or whatever you want and I'll take you home afterwards," he offered. "No funny business, I promise."

Sasha thought it over and nodded. That sounded good.

Together, they walked out of the room, pushing open the door and nearly knocking Amber over in the process. Sasha shook her head at her eavesdropping colleague. "Unbelievable."

"Sorry," Amber grinned, not looking sorry at all. Her expression softened as she turned to Sasha. "Go with him," she said. "Clock out for the day. I got you covered."

Joe smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Amber."

* * *

Sasha had always loved the view the balcony at Joe's massive Tampa home provided. It overlooked his swimming pool and the stretch of green grass fenced off from his deck below, which bordered a small lake, with a perfect scope of the skyline. The land was vast yet gave him privacy because no one could be seen for miles. He'd added a new piece of furniture to the balcony too: a wicker daybed, the shape of a pod, with soft, comfortable scatter cushions and big enough for both of them to sit in. They sat cross-legged facing one another, enjoying the outdoor ambience as they talked and ate Chinese takeout. Joe talked about the pressures of being an Anoa'i. His Hall of Fame father and uncle. Dwayne. Rikishi, Jonny and Josh's dad. Matt. Shoes that were almost too big to fill. Pain radiated in his eyes as he spoke about his cousins dying young. Rodney and Eki – Yokozuna and Umaga respectively, fellow family trailblazers. Eki's death in particular had devastated Joe because he, along with the twins, were close to him. His passing was the reason Joe had tried to stay away from wrestling. He'd known from the start that he couldn't, however. Wrestling was in his bloodstream. He couldn't walk away if he tried, and that was what scared him.

Andrea had been a shoulder to cry on during that trying time. "Sometimes I wonder when things changed between me and her," Joe commented sadly, "how we disintegrated so much. I was done with relationships after what she did. I trusted her so much and I couldn't let someone in only for them to destroy me like that again. So I went through women like underwear simply because it was easier that way. Too easy, really. But it didn't stop me from blaming myself for how it all went down between us. As much as she's responsible for what she did, I didn't help matters. I was hell-bent on making a name for myself and at the time it was all I truly cared about. There were whispers behind my back that I only got into FCW because of who I'm related to. Hell, the whispering hasn't stopped. I've been on the main roster for a year and fans are already calling me overrated. That I'm too green and I'm shit on the mic. The powers that be see me as a star but the fans don't and that's a problem for me. Nothing is more important than the fans' respect. They're the ones that keep your name and your legacy alive. So I started over-exerting myself; in the gym, in the ring. I had to show that I could take risks too. That I can stand out from the likes of Jon and Colby, who've been wrestling non-stop since they were fifteen years old. They already have a huge following from their indie days and can do no wrong in many people's eyes. I want that too. I want to be a star in my own right and by my own merit. But it looks like I've taken a chance too many and now I'm paying for it. I tried to steer clear from the demons that took Eki and Rodney but I walked right into them with the painkillers."

"It's not too late to get out of it," said Sasha. "Start by getting rid of them. You're too young to make yourself unhealthy."

"I realized that. I handed them over to Dr. Sampson. I've been talking with him in private too, him and Joey Mercury. You remember him from Gainesville, right? He knows a lot about what I'm going through because he's been there, been through worse. But I don't want to get that far. I don't want to be an addict. I'm better than that. But more importantly, whatever I have to do to get you back, I'll do it."

Sasha shook her head. "Don't do it for me. Do it for yourself."

"And for you," he repeated. He held his hands out, silently asking for hers and giving her a small smile when she obliged him. He stared down at their joined hands. "I'll never forget what I felt when I first saw you…when we locked eyes at that grocery store," he said, his voice low and pensive, "I told myself if I ever felt it again, I would go after it and never let go. We met again at the Grill and I knew it was fate. I promised to give you all the attention and all the time and all the space you needed. That's why I was so attentive to you and the kids. I didn't want to fuck this one up so I tried to shelve everything else away. I was scared you'd take off running in the other direction if you found out what was really going on with me."

Sasha just stared at him, taking in every word he said. "There's something I need to tell you," she blurted out. Meeting his questioning gaze, she took a deep breath. "My pregnancy with Mia was…complicated. She arrived on schedule but it was a difficult nine months for me. And then when I had her…let's just say I almost didn't make it."

His eyes grew wide, stunned. "You mean…" he trailed off, unable, or rather unwilling, to finish the thought.

She glanced down, swallowing. "After she was delivered I passed out. When I came to, it was the day after. I had undergone an emergency transfusion because I'd lost so much blood. The Doctor said it's not uncommon among women but basically my body isn't as tolerant as it's supposed to be, so getting pregnant and the pregnancy itself will always be difficult for me. I never bothered so much about it because I never thought about having more kids. I try not to think about it and frankly I've never known how to bring it up anyway. When your mother asked me about starting a family with you, I knew I made a mistake not telling you. She wants more grandkids and I know you want children, but I don't know if they can come from me." There. She'd said it. It was all up to him now. If this was enough to end things with her then she would accept it and they could both move on with their lives. It would take some time for her to recover but she would do it. It wouldn't be her first time picking herself up after life knocked her down.

She dared herself to look back at him, awaiting his reaction, and was surprised when he merely nodded his head. "Alright," said Joe. "If we ever get to it, we'll adopt."

She blinked. "But you want children of your own. Biological children."

"If it's going to put your health at risk then we have to find other options."

Sasha was shocked. "I can't let you do that! Why would you sacrifice something so important to you?"

"The only thing that's important to me right now is you. We'll figure out everything else when the time comes and we'll do it together."

Frustration welled up inside her. "I'm not Andrea, Joe. I don't want you to compromise your desires only for you to regret it in the end and hate me for it. It's bad enough that your mother thinks I'm with you for your money and your fame but I don't care about any of that. I want you and only you. I always have. But I got nothing to offer in return." Trailing off, she shook her head and lowered her gaze, her vision starting to sting and blur. _Don't cry. Do not cry. _"You are a good man, Joe. You're sweet and funny and kind and just a beautiful person, inside and out. You deserve to be with a woman that will give you everything you want. Me, I'm just a bartender-slash-waitress that lives in some shitty apartment, barely making ends meet to take care of my two kids. Ty and Mia are all I have. So if this casts doubts about you wanting to be with me then it's fine. You don't owe me anything. I can handle us being just friends." Okay, that part was a load of crap, but it was better than not having him in her life at all. That was how much he now meant to her.

Joe watched her intently for a long moment. "Baby girl, you and I both know that we're _way_ past being just friends." He moved closer to her, lifting his hand to stroke her cheek. "Look at me."

She finally obeyed, gasping softly at the intensity that shone in his grey eyes.

"I don't care how old you are," said Joe, "I don't care if you have a hundred kids or you can't have any more. I don't care if you live in the damn sewers or you're wrinkled from head to toe. I don't care if no one thinks we should be together. _We _want to be together and that's all that should matter. Everything else in between, we'll work through them. _Together_. You're an amazing, amazing woman Sasha, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. I don't want anything else from you either. You're all that I need, baby. When I'm around you I feel like I can be myself. There's no bullshittin' with you and in the crazy-ass world I live in, I need that. I need you. I can't stop thinking about you. I can't imagine my life without you in it anymore and I don't want to. So if I have to fight the rest of the world – my own family included – to keep you by my side, I will. I will fight for you, always."

She just couldn't understand it. So many before him had walked. Her father. Tyson. Cliff. Trevor. None of them had thought she was worth fighting for. What was different this time? What did Joe see in her that no one else had seen in thirty-five years? "Why?"

Joe smiled softly, looking deeply into her eyes. Once again, if he had to spell it out for her…he would. "Because I love you, Sasha. I'm in love with you."

Silence. That was all that followed that statement because she was utterly speechless. Her vocal chords seemed to have lodged itself somewhere in her throat. She could only gape at him with widened eyes that quickly filled with tears.

Good tears or bad tears, Joe wasn't sure, and he tried not to panic as he watched them roll down her cheeks. "Please don't cry. I'm sorry…I shouldn't have said anything." Man he was an idiot. They'd only just reconciled and he dropped the L bomb on her? Stupid, stupid move.

His heart sank when she shook her head and cried harder. Shit. He'd really fucked up now. It was only a matter of time before she told him she didn't feel the same way and ultimately broke up with him for good. Swallowing hard, he started to move from the daybed to give her space. "I'm sorry," he muttered, the burden of rejection crushing what was left of his fragile heart. "I'll just-"

"I love you too."

Joe stopped cold. "Say what?"

Sasha laughed through her tears at his dumbfounded countenance. "I love you, Joe. I've been in love with you for so long. I just…I didn't think you felt the same way. I mean, a man like you is never interested in someone like me. It just doesn't happen. You could have any woman you want in the world…" She sniffled, wiping her eyes. "And I'm scared. I'm scared you'll finally see that and then I'll lose you and I'll be alone again."

His eyes clouding over, Joe took her chin in his fingers. "Hey." His voice was soft and impassioned. "Forget about that. I love _you_. I want _you_. No woman has ever made me feel the way you do and I don't wanna let that go, not now that I know what I could lose. I ain't goin' nowhere, not without you," he vowed.

Sasha touched his black hair, gliding her fingers through the soft, silken texture. She framed his face in both her hands and gazed into his breathtaking grey eyes, searching for words and finding none. For there really was nothing else to say. "I love you," she whispered.

Filled with emotion, he leaned his forehead against hers. "Say it again."

"I love you, Leati. I love you so much." She kissed him softly; a trusting, sincere kiss that made the Samoan feel like his heart would burst with happiness.

"I love you too, beautiful." Their mouths met again and this time desire exploded between them. Joe sat up straighter as Sasha straddled him, winding her arms around his neck. They gripped and tugged each other in an effort to get closer and merge their mouths completely. Sasha whimpered as Joe's supernatural tongue worked wonders inside her mouth while his hands caressed all over her body, driving her need for him to fever pitch.

"I thought we said no funny business," she ground out against his lips, her voice breathless and thick with desire.

"We did," Joe murmured, kissing her neck with the vigor of a thirsty man who had found water. "We can stop if you want."

"Hell no. Come here." Her reply was ferocious as she guided his face back to hers. Weeks of pent-up sexual frustration were unleashed as they ravaged each other. Without breaking their kiss, Sasha unbuttoned Joe's shirt, parting the halves to caress his broad, smooth chest and torso. Joe reached behind her and unzipped her dress, unhooking her bra with a quick, impressive flex of his fingers. He pushed down the straps of her dress and bra then weaved his hand between their bodies, infiltrating her dress to tug her panties to the side. Sasha let out a gasp when two fingers slipped inside her, and a sudden possessiveness overtook Joe as evidence of her arousal promptly flooded his probing fingers.

"So responsive to me," he grunted, a hint of pride in his tone. His tongue flicked beneath her ear, lips touring the goosebumps that had sprouted on her bare skin. He fingered her steadily, high on the moans of pleasure that left her lips. "It's like your body knows it's mine. I love it."

"It's yours, baby. It's always been yours," Sasha ensured him. The kisses grew hotter, more passionate. She pulled off the band holding his ponytail and dug her fingers into his flowing long hair, tilting his head back so she could kiss him better. She brought his other hand up to her exposed breast, and he wasted no time grasping and plucking at the soft skin before ducking his head to suck on it. Her head fell back with a lustful sigh, resting her hand on the back of his head as sensation charged at her from various angles, setting her entire body alight.

Joe suddenly pulled back, breathless. "Shit, I'm out of condoms."

"It's fine," said Sasha, shifting away to discard the rest of her dress and underwear.

He locked eyes with her. "You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. We've worked around it before, haven't we?" she all but growled, blinded by lust. She watched him shrug off his shirt and jeans and her eyes darkened when she saw he'd gone commando. "God you're so hot."

Joe grinned arrogantly at her starved expression. Getting on his knees, he swiped his hand between her parted legs and slathered her wetness over his erection. "You want this dick baby?" he asked, stroking himself slowly, moisture emerging from the tip of the hardened shaft. Sasha's mouth watered.

"Damn right I do," she hissed just as he grabbed the backs of her thighs and yanked her towards him, causing her to fall back against the cushions on the daybed. Draping her legs over his quads, he directed his cock slowly inside her, both moaning as he stretched her body. He gripped her waist, holding her still when she tried to move. Sasha moaned and clutched his forearms. "Baby, come on..."

Oh, how he'd missed that yearning, pleading tone of hers. He withdrew from her with the same tempo, leaving only the head of his cock inside her. "You've missed this dick, haven't you?"

Sasha cried out, her back arching when all of a sudden he slammed into her. "Fuuuck! Yes!"

"Tell me." He pulled out again, excruciatingly slowly, then drove back in. Hard. Knocking all the breath out of her. Her mouth fell open in a silent scream. "Tell me how much you missed my cock."

"I missed it so fuckin' much, handsome," Sasha panted, not caring how desperate she sounded. "Put it on me, baby. Take me."

He had no plans to turn down that invitation. He took her legs and spread them far apart, and Sasha almost wept with relief when he began moving in earnest inside her. Joe was in Heaven. It had been too long. Holding onto her thighs, he thrust deeply, steadily, wanting to savor every second inside her, every gasp and moan he elicited from her. Running his tongue over his lips, he increased his pace, looking on with perverse glee as Sasha started stroking her clit in tandem with his dick sliding in and out of her, her breasts bouncing with each thrust. Sasha worked her fingers desperately, gasping with satisfaction as Joe's driving strokes filled her with sensation after amazing sensation – made even better with no barrier, physical or emotional, between them.

Joe drew her body up to meet his and sat back, their sounds of pleasure released into the open air as she sank deeper onto him. Her arms circled his neck, their mouths meeting with tender urgency as she grinded on his dick, her peaked nipples scraping his chest. The two moved at an easy rhythm, their lips in constant contact. They moaned and gasped and their breaths came in heavy pants but they said nothing, never took their gazes off each other. Joe wanted more. He needed to be deeper, further inside of her. He needed to be closer to her in every way possible. The story of his life lately seemed to be just that – needing, wanting Sasha Morgan. Wanting to give her everything he possessed. So he did. Rocking and thrusting and grasping and spiraling them both towards fulfilment. Even when she whined and writhed and her teeth sank into his shoulder, he didn't stop, didn't give into his ecstasy until after she surrendered to her own. He wanted her to never forget this moment they were sharing. He knew _he_ wouldn't.

They remained in the embrace long after coming down from their high – breathing hard, their foreheads touching, their bodies still intimately connected. Sasha caressed Joe's sculpted cheek and swept her lips over his, once, twice, three times. She couldn't get enough of his touch, his kiss, the way he made her feel. She never could. "You're amazing," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "I love you."

Joe returned every kiss, his fingertips traveling lazily along her back. "I love you too, Sasha." He kissed her one more time, then laid them down on the daybed, the light outdoor breeze drifting over their naked, satiated frames. They held onto each other possessively. Neither planned on letting the other go ever again.

* * *

_**Took them 31 chapters but they made it! They've declared their love to each other! *pops champagne***_

_**I considered ending this story after this chapter but that felt lazy to me. I feel like there's still a ways to go story-wise, so I hope you don't mind if ITDE goes on for a little longer. :)**_

_**In the meantime, kindly review! Share your joy (or otherwise?) with me! :D**_


	32. Chapter 32

_**A/N: Man, Roman's injury though. That ish came outta nowhere. How scary must that feel? Waking up in such pain, next thing you're in the hospital prepping for surgery, the day before a pay-per-view of all days. That has to suck. The way the news blew up twitter though…if Joe didn't know he was loved before, he does now.**_

_**Thank you to **__justkimmy, Ashleymcd25, ChelleLew, Cougar3371, too much drama 1225, Sasha, Siren's Call To The Dead, Olivia Reigns, CFierce116, benova13, demonicseer, ItsGbruhh, Bharm, nikki1335, Shield316, ItReignsJustice-619, LuxuriaVanitas, ThatGirl54, IRENELOVE83, DeeMarie426, Tammy, princessreigns__** and **__kitkat1488__** for the reviews. I'm glad you want me to continue with ITDE. I have a bad habit of not completing stories but I'm determined this time. I've become just as invested in Jasha as you all have, if not more.**_

_**Enjoy 32!**_

_**Song choice: "Make It Work" by Ne-Yo.**_

* * *

"Have I told you before that I like your tattoo?"

Joe chuckled softly at his girlfriend's weary voice drifting through his ears. It was the first word either of them had spoken since their last romp ended several minutes ago. "A couple of times, yeah," he answered, lazily running his fingers through her sex-tousled hair as thunder rolled on outside. They'd been in the middle of round two on his daybed when rain began to fall out of nowhere, forcing them to retreat to his bedroom. Both were high on happiness, set on exploring their newly declared love for each other and determined to make up for their time apart, to the point that they did not make it into his bed until round four, with Joe taking her roughly against the wall for the rest of round two and Sasha straddling him on the floor in round three. The fourth was just as frantic, with Sasha gripping the headboard for dear life and her legs on Joe's shoulders as they cried out each other's names. Spent and sore, they were now propped up against the headboard, swathed in the soft sheets and covers of the bed. Sasha's back rested against Joe's chest, her cheek pressed to his bicep and her fingers tracing the intricate lines etched in the bulging arm curled around her neck. The Samoan cradled her in his arms, basking in the afterglow of their reunion. Nothing could quite describe how he was currently feeling. He'd dreamed about this for a long time and that it had come true brought nothing but joy to his heart.

"Well I'll say it again. I like it," Sasha said, turning her head to place a kiss to his bicep. "I'm not fond of tattoos because most of them are ugly and look like so much pain. I still can't believe you spent thirty hours on this. But it was worth it. It looks good on you."

"Maybe, but it's definitely not as good as the brand new one you gave me," he joked, pointing at his other shoulder where Sasha's teeth marks branded the skin close to the base of his neck. She turned around for a better look and laughed. "You light-skinned boys and your fragile selves," she commented, brushing her thumb over the reddened bruise. "T.K. gets bit by an insect and he's redder than a tomato. Anyway, I was simply marking you as mine, baby. It looks hot. Goes with your badass character. Add in your brush with the law and you're pretty much the quintessential bad boy, Mr. Reigns," she winked and grinned.

"Come on, it happened one time!" Joe protested, his arms raised incredulously. "And it was hardly badass. I was a College freshman and I was an impressionable idiot. I sure as hell didn't feel badass after my folks tore me a new one when they found out. Even worse is there's evidence of that shitty-ass night on the internet. My hair super-short and sticking up at all ends looking like I rolled out of bed and got electrocuted."

"Come on, you couldn't have looked that bad," Sasha laughed as he held her again.

"Trust me babe, I did. I didn't look much like I do now. My hair wasn't long and not many of these muscles were there then. Just a whole lot of extra meat on my bones. It's the ugliest mug shot in mug shot history."

"I saw your older photos at your parents' place," said Sasha, "You were definitely in shape. You know, like a football player."

"I didn't think so. Those were the chubby days for me. I actually hit the three hundred pound mark at one point and I didn't feel at all healthy. I managed to finally shed majority of the fat and build the muscles right before I joined the WWE." He glanced at his shoulder again, a shit-eating grin on his face. "You've never bit me before, babe. I like. It's pretty hot." He looked down at her with a smirk. "I musta dicked you down real good to get such a nice present." His lips scooped her earlobe while he palmed her breast. "Am I right, baby girl? Did I give it to you good?"

His warm breath and deep baritone voice heated up her skin, and if she wasn't so tired she'd have mounted him again. "You always give it to me good, baby. You know that." Tilting her head, her mouth found his, the couple momentarily losing themselves in the kiss. Breaking away reluctantly, she pecked his cheek and leaned further into his warm body, sighing blissfully as his hand smoothed over the curve of her waist and hip, the gesture gentle and soothing. It was moments like this that she loved and missed while they were apart; the alone time, talking and cuddling – preferably naked like they were now – and doing nothing else. "I've always liked that, you know."

Joe kissed her temple. "What?"

"That you call me baby girl. It makes me feel sexy."

"You _are _sexy." He stroked her hair affectionately, inhaling the familiar coconut scent.

Sasha scrunched up her nose. "Trust me, before you came along I don't think I even remembered what that word meant. When you're trying to raise a pair of kids and keep your life in order, you forget that lipstick and high heels exist."

"But that's the thing, babe. Being sexy isn't just about the physical appearances. It's the way you carry yourself, your confidence. You got that in spades, at least that's what I thought when we first met. You don't realize how sexy you are and that's what makes you sexy in my eyes," he finished off with a small grin.

His words brought a bashful smile to her face. "Oh stop it, you. You're gonna make me blush now." Shifting so that she was sitting on his lap, her dark eyes fell upon the legal pad on the nightstand. "Is that the new Raw script?" she asked.

Joe followed her gaze and shook his head. "No. That's therapy." He made the quotation sign with his fingers and rolled his eyes. "Last week Doc suggested I write down how I was feeling about my situation. At first I thought it was stupid but I figured what the hell, if it helps I guess. I only put in one entry because that's pretty much how I felt for a fortnight straight."

"Can I see?"

"It's pretty deep stuff," the Samoan murmured, ducking his head as his fingers raked his hair back. Was he blushing?

"Deep? You? Now this I gotta see," she teased, holding one hand out while using the other to draw the sheets up to her chest. "Give it here."

"Funny. Real funny." Chuckling, he handed her the notepad, wrapping both arms around her body and resting his chin on her shoulder as he watched her open the first page.

_This is stupid. I don't want to write this shit. Because it's not helping. All it's doing is reminding me of how badly I've fucked up. I was a dick. I was frustrated by my knee, my mom and pops, by having to relive the ordeal with Andrea, and I took it all out on Sasha. I know everything she heard and witnessed during our trip must have spooked her but I didn't see it that way. I got angry and scared and I pushed her even further away. It's been over a week now and we've not spoken. I want to call her but I doubt she wants anything to do with me. She probably hates me now and that kills me._

_I miss her so damn much. I miss her smile. I miss her voice and her weird laugh. I miss the way she looks at me, whether she's thinking I'm a complete doofus or she's about to rip my clothes off. Hell, I even miss her bad singing to those weird rock songs on the radio. I know I'm torturing myself thinking about her but I can't help myself. She's all I ever think about anymore, all I ever see even when I close my eyes, and I know why._

_I'm in love with her._

_Admitting it to myself was easier than I thought because I've felt this way for quite a while now. What makes it even more real was it was so easy falling for her. I can write about what I love about her all day; how sassy she is, how she stands up for herself. I love how shy she gets when I compliment her, which still baffles me because she has no reason to be shy. She's beautiful and smart and sexy and genuine. She works so hard and she doesn't take shit from anybody. Not even my dad. I love how devoted she is to the people she loves. Her daughter, her son, her best friend. I love how she and my own friends get along so easily. She's been open-minded and accepting of what I do for a living. That means everything to me. I love how she wants nothing from me even though I'd give her the whole damn world if she asked. I love that she trusted me enough to let me be a part of her life. She has a hard time trusting people but she let me in anyway. And I broke that trust. I shunned her just like Mom did. I broke her trust like Andrea broke mine._

_I won't blame her if she never forgives me, but then I'm terrified that I've thrown away the best thing that has ever happened to me. We may be over and she would never know how I truly feel about her. That she makes my heart race by just smiling at me. My blood pumps when she touches me. When she holds me, everything is right with the world. She is everything to me and I wish she could see that. We haven't been together that long but I already see myself being with her for even longer. A future. There's absolutely no doubt how I feel about her. I love her. I need her and I can't bear to lose her. You don't let someone that special go and I'd do anything to get a second chance. But it's all up to her and I can only hope she does give me another chance._

Sasha's vision blurred with tears as she stared at the notepad. She looked at Joe, at a loss for what to say.

The big man's voice was soft as he caressed her face. "Please don't cry, beautiful. It breaks my heart when I see you cry."

Sniffing, she wiped her eyes. "This is so sweet, baby."

"I'm a sap, aren't I?" This time there was no mistaking the blush that crept into his chiseled cheeks.

"No you're not. That's the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said about me," she responded.

"And I meant every word, Sasha. Everything I wrote in there, everything I said to you today. I mean it. I love you and I want to make us work." It was true. The instant chemistry, the connection they shared was one he'd never had with anyone else. She was so different from everything he was used to. They'd only known each other for a number of months but it felt like longer. Everything just seemed to fall into place. He'd heard horror stories about dating a woman with kids. Sure, he didn't always get to see her at his convenience because T.K. and Mia had her attention, and his own schedule didn't help things any. But he didn't mind one bit. It always worked itself out in the end. He got to be with her and that was all that mattered. "You need to let me know when I screw up. We got such a good thing going on between us and I couldn't bear it if it got messed up again."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, handsome," Sasha replied. "No relationship is perfect. It's up to both of us to make it work. Of course, it won't always be smooth sailing. We're going to argue and we're going to fight and we might even want to rip each other's head off at times, but as long as we work it out and stick together, we'll be okay."

Joe smiled. "If you say we will, then I believe you." He kissed her lips, exhaling contentedly as Sasha returned his affection. This was a day he wished would never end. And to think that it may never have happened. The smile on his face had to be surgically removed. "I love you."

"I love you too." She gave him another kiss and glanced outside. It had stopped raining. "I should head out soon."

Joe tightened his hold around her. "Stay a little longer," he implored. "I'll take you home myself. Besides, your clothes are all wet from the rain."

"There's a dryer in your laundry room though," Sasha pointed out.

"It's broken," he said quickly, and the mother of two giggled at the shameless fib. He pushed off the headboard and lowered her down to the disheveled bed. She shivered, biting her lip as he dipped his head to kiss a trail along her neck. He settled between her legs, exposing her center to the hard ridge of his erection. He was ready to go yet again and from previous experience, she wasn't surprised in the least when she sensed her own body gearing up for him once more. She had to admit, it was a definite upside to shacking up with an athlete. A young, nubile, breathtakingly attractive athlete.

"Oh I get it," she breathed, feeling his hand close around her thigh. "This is all part of your grand master plan to keep me here, huh?"

"More or less." There was that heated stare again, that cocky, oh-so-sexy smile of his as his face hovered inches from hers. "Is it working?"

Winding her hands in his hair, she pulled him down. "Perfectly."

Round five began.

* * *

It was evening time when Sasha returned home. She was floating on air as she made her way up the usually long flight of stairs leading up to her apartment. The kids were back, and she expected T.K. to have rustled up something for himself and Mia to eat until she returned.

She met Mia seated at the kitchen table doing homework with the radio on. "Baby turn down the music a little, I can hear it from outside," she said, kissing the little girl's forehead when she got near. She asked her how her day went as she spotted two dirty plates in the sink. Good, they'd eaten. "Where's your brother? In his room?"

"Yeah," Mia replied without looking, engrossed in her work. Sasha walked over to her son's room and knocked softly, waiting for a beat before letting herself in. "Hi baby."

He looked up from his relaxed position on his bed, his basketball gear laying by his feet. Sasha was amazed by how much bigger he had become. Bigger arms and shoulders and more defined muscles. Ever since he first spent time at the gym with The Shield and some of the other wrestlers, he'd become a gym buff. He'd started going on some diet Jon had mentioned to him and all he seemed to be interested in these days was CrossFit. It bordered on obsessive but she didn't mind. It was a much better alternative to the more dangerous, illegal activities his peers were partaking in. The results of his dedication were showing, and she had to say he looked good.

"Hi Mom," T.K. greeted. "You're back late. Long day?"

"You could say that," she answered shortly. She wondered how he would feel about her and Joe reconciling. Mia's reaction would be positive but she wasn't sure about T.K. He had warmed up to Joe in the past couple of months but that protective streak was always there. She noticed the sheet of letter-headed paper he kept flipping around in his hands, as well as the small brown package beside him. "What you got there? Looks important."

Glancing down at the item in question, he sighed. "College. I've got a response back."

"Oh. That's early. I didn't think the responses would start rolling in this quick." She sat beside him on his bed. "Who from?"

"Mason Hill." He handed the letter to her. "I got in."

Sasha's eyes widened and she squealed excitedly. "Oh my God! Baby! Congratulations!" She nearly knocked him over with the hug she gave him but she was just so happy. When she pulled back however, there was pout on her son's features. "Baby why the glum face? This is awesome news."

"I wasn't offered the scholarship."

At that piece of information, Sasha's elation deflated. "Aw, I'm sorry."

"Ma, I applied to bigger schools," said T.K., "If MHU can't grant me a scholarship how will you be able to afford the others?" The last thing he wanted was her swimming in his student debt. She still had Mia to take care of after all.

"Don't you worry about any of it Ty," Sasha finally answered. "I'm handling it. Besides, you shouldn't think that way. Just because MHU didn't give it to you doesn't mean the others won't. Have some faith."

T.K. eyed her closely. "Are you sure you won't let me look for a job?"

Sasha pursed her lips with a sigh. "Haven't we discussed this before?"

"Ma…" He trailed off.

Sasha sensed his frustration. That he cared so much made her love him even more if that was possible. But he had to face facts. "Tyson, mixing a job and school is _not_ going to work out. You either do one or the other. I never got to finish high school and it's something I wish I could go back and do every day. And this has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I had you baby. You know I love you with all my heart. But I don't want you living your life wondering, 'what if?' Trust me. You don't want to put yourself through that. Besides, you _need_ to complete high school and get a diploma otherwise we won't even be sitting here talking about College." She placed her hand on the back of his neck, forcing him to meet her eyes. "I am taking care of things. I promise. I just need you to focus on school and then bringing the Championship home, alright?"

The teenager searched his mother's eyes, sensing finality in her demeanor. Hiding his disappointment, he nodded. "Okay." He leaned back against the wall and stretched out his legs. "So, anything interesting happen at the Grill today? Was there another bar fight like two nights ago?" he asked, amusement in his eyes.

Sasha chewed the inside of her cheek. _Here it goes._ "Joe came to see me."

The teenager's expression was unreadable. "And?"

"We…we made up. We're back together. We had a very long talk today and decided to work things out." Her brows furrowed when he made no response. "Baby, I know you're always going to be skeptical about Joe and I'm grateful that you care so much. But…he's different. In a good way too."

T.K. looked at his mother. "I know."

Sasha blinked. "You know?" she asked, not expecting him to agree with her.

He didn't miss the look of confusion on her face. Sighing resignedly, he went on. "Look Ma. I'll admit I wanted to beat his ass when-"

"Boy. Language."

"Sorry. I wanted to make him hurt when I found out he was the reason you've been so upset this past couple of weeks. But I thought about it and you're right. Joe is different. For one, for a famous guy he's really down-to-earth which surprised me a lot. He's the only guy you've dated that actually can't be around twenty-four seven, yet has made more time for you than all the past guys combined. It's obvious how much he likes you and maybe there was a misunderstanding between you two, I don't know. Of course I don't want him hurting you, Mama. I don't want anyone ever hurting you or Mia. But I figured I'll take a step back this time and give him a chance because something told me you two might work things out. So yeah," T.K. smiled. "It's kinda cool that you're back together. He's a cool dude."

Sasha couldn't keep the relief, or the huge grin, from spreading over her face. "Baby, you have no idea how much that means to me. Thank you so much." Putting her arms around him, she kissed his cheek. "You know I love you, right? No matter what I do or who I'm with, you and your sister always come first."

"I know, Ma." T.K. smiled, happy that his mother was happy.

"Good." Patting his thigh, she stood up. "Get dressed. We're going out to celebrate."

T.K. beamed. "Yeah?"

"Of course! You got into College, we should celebrate. Me, you and Mia. We can go wherever you want since it's your treat."

"Okay!" T.K. stood up, rummaging through a drawer for a clean shirt. "We really need to talk about this cussin' thing though," he said. "Everyone cusses these days. Why can't I even say ass? Hell, I've heard you and Aunt Pam cuss each other out before, more than once."

"It don't mean it's right," Sasha retorted. "I don't wanna hear any of that crap coming out of your mouth or I will padlock it shut, you hear me? Just because those Lil' Wayne, 2 Chainz idiots are doing it don't mean you should."

"Mom, why you hatin' on Weezy?"

"That nappy-headed Gremlin-lookin' freak? Um, no." She shot her son a pointed look. "No cussing. At least not until you're twenty-one."

"But that's in three years' time!"

"I'm sure you can hold on until then," she quipped, poking his cheek with her index finger. "Now get dressed before I change my mind and go to bed instead."

* * *

_**A little quiet, I know. The next chapter won't be. ;) Working on it as we speak. Hopefully it will be out soon. Kindly review this one! Top to bottoms as usual if you please. :D**_


	33. Chapter 33

**_A/N: Thank you to _**_nikki1335, too much drama 1225, ThatGirl54, ChelleLew, justkimmy, Tammy, Sasha, benova13, CFierce116, ItsGbruhh, Guest, Bharm, ItReignsJustice-619, Alisi824, DeeMarie426, princessreigns, Brie's Mode, LuxuriaVanitas**, **Shield316, IRENELOVE83** and **Violet Craine** for the reviews. LMAO IRENELOVE83 wanting details of all five rounds with Jasha, you dirty, dirty girl. ;)**_

**_I've noticed a lot of readers have followed and favorited but have shied away from reviewing. Come on, guys! I don't bite, I promise. I like knowing what you think about my writing – be it the plot, the characters, whether I'm doing good or bad – just let me know. Who knows? Your suggestions/opinions might actually get incorporated into what's left of this story. Kindly review. It's always much appreciated. :)_**

* * *

Rolling his blue eyes, Jon pointed his fork at the iPad propped on the table between himself and Joe. "Lopez, calm your girlfriend down," he spoke into the screen.

Joe laughed and took a bite of his toast as the raven-haired, green-eyed woman in the iPad screen clapped her hands happily. Colby sat beside her, pulling his two-toned hair into a ponytail. "What? She's happy for Joe, let her be," he said.

"Look at you, can't even stand up to your girl," Jon mocked, snickering when Colby promptly flipped him the bird.

"Shut up Good," Lauren chastised, returning her attention to the Samoan. "About time you and Sasha patched things up, Joe. You two belong together. I was going to come over there myself and knock some sense into you both."

Joe chuckled. "No need for that, babe. It's all good between us now."

"And you love each other! That's so damn sweet," Lauren gushed, oblivious to Colby rolling his eyes behind her. "I'm so glad things are working out for you, big man. It's been a long time coming and you deserve every bit of it."

"Thanks, L. So what are you and Mr. Idiot doing? Hanging out at home?" the Samoan asked.

"Yep." Colby sighed and looked over his shoulder into the room. "We got somewhere to be in about half an hour but right now I'm still trying to pack for tomorrow."

Jon groaned. "I haven't even started," he stated, biting off half a sausage link. "Hey Joe, think you can get Sash to help me again? Last time she packed my suitcase in ten minutes."

"Hell no," Joe quickly dismissed him, "Do it yourself. Weren't you coping before she came along?"

"Yeah. But she's so much better at it," the younger man tried to reason.

"No."

Lauren laughed and checked her watch. "Well guys, we'd love to stay and chat some more but we need to get going," she said. "We'll talk later, Joe. Give Sasha a kiss from me. And no tongue for God's sake."

"You're no fun," Joe winked at her, right before she stepped out of the frame.

"Where's _my_ kiss?" Colby asked his girlfriend, pouting.

"You come over here and I'll give you more than a kiss," the two men heard Lauren's seductive reply in the background, and they immediately pretended to gag. "Hey, we're eating over here," Joe complained, laughing when Colby made a face at them before logging off from FaceTime.

Joe put away his iPad as Jon picked up the pepper shaker. "Lauren's right though," he said. "It's great that you and Sasha are back together."

"Trust me, I'm just as relieved as y'all are," Joe replied.

"Lord knows if you didn't do something soon enough I might've considered whisking her away for myself," Jon added.

Joe smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Really?"

The Cincinnati native shrugged as he took another bite of his breakfast. "Yeah. She's sweet, feisty, a great cook, she takes good care of us and…well, she's pretty hot. I ain't exactly blind, ya know. I actually used to have a little crush on her very early on. I can say that now without fear of getting my ass kicked." At the look on his friend's face he chuckled. "Relax, G.I. It was only a little one. She's only ever had eyes for you anyway. No one else stood a chance. Not me, not that slimeball Orton, not nobody."

He would be lying if he said he wasn't glad to hear that. "Well, you got Renee now, right?"

Jon gave him a strange look. "Dude, we're not together."

Joe rolled his eyes. "Of course not."

"Nope," Jon insisted. "We fuck, we hang out sometimes, we go to work. You know how it goes."

"Sounds like your everyday relationship," he joked, looking closely at Jon. "And that's all you want from her?"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't want to be with her as more than just a bed buddy?" Joe pressed. "At all?"

Jon thought about it then shook his head. "Naw. Not interested. Unnecessary drama. Besides, she's too much like me. Two crazy pseudo-blonde sluts that are too busy to settle down. Trust me. We prefer it this way." Nonchalantly, he raised his coffee to his lips, leaving Joe to think about the statement and wonder how much truth there was to it. "So is T.K. still coming or what?"

As if on cue, the teenager strolled into the restaurant. He pushed back the hood of his sleeveless sweater and looked around for the wrestlers, smiling when he found them. Reaching their table, he gave both men a fist bump. "Hey, what's up?"

"Hey kid. You're lookin' good," Jon complimented, looking over the teenager's improved physique. "You're taking the workout seriously."

"Yeah. I'm enjoying it," he smiled, sliding into the booth next to the blue-eyed man. "Thanks for inviting me, guys." After breakfast, Joe and Jon were heading out for a WWE-related photoshoot and they had asked T.K. to come along. Again, there was no hesitation from him. He enjoyed every moment he spent with them, gaining rare insight into their unique lives. It was awesome, and a little surreal, that he was getting to know people he watched on TV on a personal level.

"No problem. Order something because we got a long day ahead," Joe said, waving a waitress over. "Hope we're not throwing a wrench in any plans you got."

"Not at all. Actually, you're life savers." Seeing their questioning expressions, he clarified, "I needed to get away from Chanel and y'all gave me the perfect escape route."

"Hmm. You and your girl havin' problems?" asked Joe, cutting his sunny side-up.

The waitress came over and T.K. placed his order before returning to the conversation. "We weren't ever really together. And I'm just not into her anymore. She's too clingy."

"Oh, we know tons of chicks like that." Jon rolled his eyes, making Joe laugh. T.K. looked at his ringing phone and groaned. "She's calling me right now. What do I do?" the teen implored.

"Ignore her. Turn your shit off," said Jon.

Joe shook his head and pointed at his friend. "This blockhead is the last person to be taking relationship advice from. You should talk to her. Tell her the truth about how you feel. Avoiding her won't solve anything."

T.K. looked skeptical. "But she never takes no for an answer."

"Well that's _her_ problem," Jon stated critically, waving his fork around as he spoke. "You don't want her no more. She should deal with it."

"Bro, shut up." Joe shot Jon a stern look, then looked back at T.K. "Look, you're better off coming clean to her than making her feel like you jerked her around. She might take it badly but in time she'll leave you alone." He leaned back in his seat. "The earlier you tell her, the better. But for now…block her number."

A man, a woman and a little girl entered the restaurant together. Joe turned his head and his smile faded instantly. Reflexively, he looked at T.K. Jovial and talkative only a second ago, the teenager was now rigid and withdrawn. Joe knew he'd seen them as well.

Jon looked over at the man guiding his wife and daughter into a booth and did a double take. The man was the spitting image of T.K., and the Cincinnati native was given an idea of what the kid would look like in twenty years' time. Sensing the tension suddenly emanating from T.K. beside him, he exchanged a look with Joe and learned everything he needed to know in an instant. He wisely kept his mouth shut.

The waitress returned with T.K.'s breakfast. Joe's stomach sank a little as Tyson caught sight of them and started making his way towards them. Crap, he recognized them. Joe had seen him around the area a couple of times but never interacted with him before. He hoped there would be no trouble. But if there was, he had no problem restoring order in his own special way.

"Dean, Roman? Hi. I'm Tyson. Big fan." Flashing a friendly smile, he extended his hand to Jon, and then Joe. Not wanting to look like a douche, the Samoan took it, shaking the man's hand a little more firmly than usual. "Thanks, appreciate it."

"I've seen you on this side of town a few times, Roman. You live here?" Tyson inquired, hands in his pockets, still smiling.

"No." Joe glanced glanced at T.K., who was making a conscious effort not to look at his father. The older Tyson was clearly doing the same. This was tension and then some.

"Oh. Well, it's nice to see you around these parts. You take care now." He made to leave, but at the last second he turned back around. "Oh, I almost forgot to ask you, Roman. Having fun with my ex?"

Instantly, T.K. raised his head. There was fury in his eyes as he stared at Tyson. Underneath the table Joe's hands clenched into fists. "What was that?" he asked, sounding much calmer than he felt.

"You know, my ex-girlfriend. Sasha?" Tyson sneered. "Yeah, I seen y'all once or twice. Y'all look real cute together." His shoulders shook as he sniggered.

"Somethin' funny?" Joe demanded, fighting off the rage brewing inside him.

Still laughing, Tyson said, "Nope." He made a show of calming himself down. "It's just…I never thought I'd see the day…a celebrity having my sloppy seconds."

"Oh I know you ain't talkin' about my Mama!" T.K. shot to his feet, only stopped from charging at Tyson by Jon throwing his arm out in front of him. "Hey, hey, hey! Calm down. Sit down, kid. Sit. Down." he ordered sternly, coaxing T.K. back into his seat. A few heads had turned curiously in their direction. He looked on wearily as across from him, Joe stood slowly to his full height in front of Tyson. "Joe, come on man, leave it alone. It ain't worth it."

He thought Jon knew him better. That he preferred to pick on someone his own size. At least he'd be given a fair fight. Not taking his eyes off Tyson, the Samoan pursed his lips arrogantly, shaking his head at Jon's words. "Naw, I ain't gonna touch him." Reaching over to the table next to them, he picked up a clean fork. "I ain't even gotta say nothin'. He dumped a classy girl for_ that_," He jerked his head in the direction of the table where Desiree was loudly scolding a crying Tiffani, "That's all I need to know about him."

Tyson bristled, all amusement wiped off his face. "That's my wife you talkin' about like that, _boy_," he growled.

Joe sat back down and shrugged. "Like I said, I rest my case."

Tyson stood there, incensed. Though he knew far better than to pick a fight with two pro wrestlers, he would not leave without the last word. "Wait till that one," he pointed at T.K., "becomes a problem. We'll see if y'all as buddy-buddy as y'all are now." With a scoff, he trudged back to his table, gathered up his wife and daughter and ushered them back out of the restaurant, ignoring an oblivious Desiree's demands to know why they were leaving.

"Well…that was interesting," Jon commented, breaking the tense silence that settled around the table.

Joe returned his attention to T.K., the boy's eyes blazing with hatred as he watched his father drive away. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," he answered brusquely, pushing his unfinished breakfast away. "I'm not hungry anymore. Can we get a box for this?"

Joe wanted to argue but thought better of it, summoning the waitress once again. "Fine. You'll need it later during our shoot. We're gonna be there a while." He held the teen's gaze for a moment. "How about we keep that little incident from your mom, huh?"

Nodding his head in agreement, T.K. shared a small smile with the Samoan. "No problem."

* * *

It was midnight. The kids were asleep in T.K.'s room and Sasha was like a mouse out to play while the cat was away. Finally, they could have their private time. She should have felt bad for shipping Mia out of her room and into T.K.'s for the night just so she could play virtual porn star with Joe, but she had a feeling it would all be worth it, especially after the text message he had sent to her earlier in the day;

_Hi baby girl. Miss u already. Can't wait till we FaceTime tonight. Btw, Pam snuck a present under ur bed this morning. Call me before u open it, and make sure you're in a…state of undress. ;) X_

Reaching under the bed, she felt around and touched something, pulling it out and setting it on her lap. It was a rectangular box with gold wrapping paper sealed with a red bow. As she eyed it curiously, Joe's FaceTime ID popped up on her iPhone. Sasha connected the call and was greeted by her boyfriend's smirking face. Seeing his tattooed chest made her skin tingle. "Baby," she gushed, smiling widely.

"Man, you are a sight for sore eyes, Sash," said Joe, shifting on his hotel room bed to get more comfortable. "Found it yet?"

"Yep," Sasha replied, tapping the box on her lap. "Can I open it now?"

His smile was sly, cryptic. "Go right ahead."

Sasha tore open the wrapping paper, looked inside and gasped in horror, "Oh my god! You got me a _vibrator_?" She whispered the last word, almost afraid that her kids would hear her even though they were both fast asleep at the other side of the apartment.

"You can thank Pam for the idea," said Joe, "That one's top of the line according to her, with like six different settings and has one of those double stimulation things."

"You got my best friend doing your dirty work now?" Sasha said, smiling at her phone screen. "What else have you two planned behind my back?"

"The only plans I got are with you, _nani_," said Joe. "Let me look at you, baby. Put the phone in a good spot." He was using his iPad for optimum viewing. He would much rather have her in the flesh but this was close as he could get to the real thing.

"The screen is kinda small," she pointed out, tilting the white iPhone from side to side. She was stalling but he didn't have to know that. Finally, she slid the phone into the phone dock and rested her back against the headboard, a big smile on her face as she waited for him to see her properly.

"Well, I see you perfectly so it's fine," Joe told her, his mouth instantly going dry when he noticed what she was wearing. "Holy shit…"

Her white, hip-length babydoll nightgown complimented her chocolate skin and showed off her bosom invitingly. The garment underneath the bust was sheer and parted in two to reveal matching lace panties. Her hair was down the way he liked. And he could see all of this because she was leaning back on the bed, her legs crossed seductively. "Wow."

At the look on his face, Sasha twirled a lock of hair in her finger and puffed out her chest. "You like?"

"Like? I love! You look like a goddess. Turn around. Let me see that ass." He watched as she pushed up on all fours and turned. Through the sheer negligee he saw the string of her panties disappear between her ample butt cheeks. Sasha looked over her shoulder at the iPhone screen, bouncing her ass teasingly with a wicked smile on her face. Joe felt himself go rock hard. "Damn baby girl," he whispered, "Damn."

Giggling, she returned to her seated position. "Are you alone?"

"Yeah. Colb is hanging out with Dolph and Kofi and a couple of others. Don't know where Jon went, probably with Renee or something."

"Good. No one will interrupt us then." She slid her hands up her body and cupped her breasts. A soft moan escaped her. "I watched you on TV tonight," she whispered, "You tryna get me killed, ain'tcha? Lookin' so damn hot and making me want you bad."

Joe watched her hands massage her tits, jealous that it wasn't his own doing the touching. "Yeah?"

"Mm-hmm." She squirmed a little as she rubbed her nipples with her thumbs. "I miss you."

"I miss you too sweetheart. I wish I could be there with you right now."

"Talk to me, big boy. Tell me what you would be doing if you were here," she breathed, her lust-filled gaze fixed on him.

"I would be laying on top of you on that bed," he started. "I would kiss your soft, sexy lips nice and slow, slide my tongue into your mouth to taste you. My hand would move up your thigh, up your hips and your body and squeeze one of those pretty tits that belong to me. My mouth would suck the other breast, my tongue flicking over your nipple. Then I'd switch titties. You know I gotta give 'em both equal attention…"

He trailed off, swallowing hard as Sasha pushed down the strap of her nightgown to expose a breast. Unconsciously, his hand slid over the front of the black briefs he wore, palming his erection through the cotton material. Watching her with dark, hooded eyes, he forged on. "I would suck hard enough to make you moan my name, baby. Scrape your nipple with my teeth, blow on it a little and suck on it again. I know how much that drives you wild."

"It drives me crazy, baby," she responded. With her thumb and forefinger she rolled and tugged her nipple, imagining it was his hot, wet mouth on her. "Mmm, Joe…"

Her moaning his name like that would surely be the death of him. He whipped off his briefs and his dick sprang free, resting on his stomach. He didn't miss the ravenous look in her eyes. "Like what you see, baby?" he asked, smirking when she licked her lips. Sasha smiled lasciviously.

"Oh yeah. It looks fuckin' delicious. I wanna wrap my lips around that big beautiful dick. I'ma suck and lick every inch of you until you're begging me to let you fuck my mouth," she murmured, watching intently as his fingers closed around the base of his dick. The Samoan growled low as he started moving his hand up and down his length slowly, and the action made Sasha's body heat up. "That's it, big boy. Stroke that dick for me," she encouraged him.

"You look sexy as hell in that outfit babe, but right now you're overdressed," said Joe. "Take it off, _nani_. Strip for me."

The corner of her mouth curled, and Joe's breathing grew heavier as she slowly untied the garment from the front and pulled it gracefully down her arms. The sexual tension smoldered through their screens. She slid her panties down her legs, which hung straight in the air as she took them off. Joe remembered her mentioning that she'd taken up yoga with Pam to regain her flexibility. He couldn't wait to discover the new positions he could contort her body in. When she sat there naked with her thighs pressed together, he growled. "Don't go all shy on me now, sweetheart. Spread your legs for me. Let me see how much you want me."

Sasha's heart raced as she obeyed, giving him full view of her goodies. Joe's mouth watered as he noticed how nicely trimmed she was, how wet and ready she was for him. "Shit, baby. Even from here I can see how soaked you are. I wanna eat that juicy pussy. Lick and suck you while I'm squeezin' your big ass in my hands, with your tasty thighs wrapped around my head."

His voice was raspy and bone-melting, and the thought of his head between her legs and his lethal hurricane tongue assaulting her pussy made her even more aroused. Desperate to ease some of the tension in her body, her hand slid down between her legs and with a moan she began to rub herself, fixated on Joe's leisurely ministrations.

"That's beautiful, baby girl. I love watching you touch yourself. It's so fuckin' hot." He watched her hungrily, licking his lips as her fingers slid up and down her folds. "Slip your fingers inside your pussy. Feel how wet I'm making you."

She nodded her head and quickly did as she was told, pushing her slippery fingers into herself. "Fuck. Baby I'm drippin'," she gasped and moaned as she slowly worked her fingers inside her. "I need you, Joe. I need your big dick inside me."

Her voice was husky and pleading, and his dick twitched in his grasp at the sound of her moans. The sight before him was incredible; his woman sprawled naked on her bed with her legs wide open, gasping his name while she pleasured herself. He was so damn turned on that his body ached. "Pick up the vibrator."

Sasha snatched up the pink silicone toy, noting for the first time that it was actually the same size as Joe. The realization filled her loins with another wave of moist warmth. "Uh huh?"

"Rub the tip of the vibrator against your pussy lips first, get it nice and wet," he instructed her, groaning softly at the sight of her tongue curling around her fingers as she sucked her essence off them. He was surprised he hadn't exploded from the sensations attacking his two-hundred-plus pound frame. "Now turn it on and fuck yourself with it."

She twisted the bottom of the toy and a buzzing sound immediately filled the room. She pressed the tip against her clit, her body arching with a gasp as more pleasure instantly swarmed her insides. Breathing heavily, she slowly began to thrust the vibrating toy in and out of her, stimulating herself. "Aw yeah…fuck yeah…shit…"

Joe sped up his own movements as he watched her carefully. "That feel good, baby?" he asked, his eyes dilated with lust. "Are you thinkin' of me fuckin' your tight pussy?"

"Yeah, baby! You feel so good, big boy. Awww god!" She threw her head back, moaning in ecstasy. Her pussy clenched around the toy, and Joe squeezed his eyes shut, cursing as he visualized her tight wetness engulfing his dick the same way. "Fuck yourself faster, Sasha. Just like I would fuck you…ah!" He groaned, arching off the bed as shockwaves zipped through his entire body. The buzzing sound, her moaning, the sight of her essence leaking from between her legs combined with the pleasure surging through him was sensory overload. He worked his aching dick faster, his other hand massaging his balls the way Sasha would. "Fuck. Wait till I get you alone, baby girl," he rasped, arching his hips up into his hand. "I'ma pound that pussy so hard you won't walk straight for a week."

Sasha's only response was a wanton growl through gritted teeth as she thrust the toy faster. She kept her eyes on her boyfriend, his hips flexing as he continued to stroke his engorged member. The heat started to build up within her, growing hotter by the second. "Joe, oh god," she said, her breaths expelling in short bursts as she grinded herself desperately on the vibrator. "Fuck, I'm gonna come," she gasped.

"I'm fuckin' close, Sasha," he grunted, feeling his balls tingle and tighten. "Come with me baby. Make yourself come." He could see her legs trembling and her toes curling, signifying her end was indeed near. His hips bucked as he pumped himself as hard as he could, Sasha doing the same at the other end.

"Fuck! Yes, yes, yes...awww _fuck_!" Her entire body stiffened, then shook, her free hand clutching the sheets at her side. She heard Joe groan loudly and forced her eyes open in time to see his milky seed erupting like a volcano all over his abdomen. His cheeks were flushed and his forehead glistened with sweat, and she'd never seen anything so beautiful. He always looked beautiful when he came. After her body finally relaxed and she could see straight again, she pulled the toy out of her, moaning softly as she did so, and turned it off. She crawled closer to her phone. "You alright, baby?" she asked, the dazed smile on his features resembling the one on hers.

"I'm great," he panted, his chest heaving as he picked up a wet wipe and cleaned himself up with it. "Babe, that was fuckin' awesome."

Quickly stashing away the discarded lingerie and the toy, she picked up her iPhone from the dock and lay back down on the bed, holding the phone in front of her face. "It was. I'd have liked to see you a little better but other than that it was fantastic."

"We definitely need a repeat soon. This is probably the hottest thing we've ever done together." He grinned and leaned closer to the screen. "I really liked that cute little number you had on. I can't wait to come home so I can take it off of you myself."

"You've made a few promises tonight, big boy. I'm holding you to all of them."

"You better," he responded, looking at the time on his iPad. "I better get some sleep. Need to be up in four hours."

Sasha nodded, lying on her side. "You do that, handsome. I know you got a long day tomorrow."

"Yeah, but after this I think I can face whatever the hell tomorrow brings," said Joe, gazing lovingly at the woman at the other end. _His_ woman. "I love you," he said.

"I love you too," Sasha smiled. "Dream of me tonight."

"I always do, baby. See you on Wednesday."

"Will do. Goodnight." Blowing a kiss to the screen, she ended the call and closed her eyes with a lazy smile. She was going to sleep _very_ well tonight.

* * *

**_*walks around with smelling salts and bottles of water*_**

**_I call this my FaceTime chapter ;) And most of y'all were expecting a sad update this time… Tsk tsk. O ye of little faith ;)_**

**_But I bet you forgot all about Mr. Baby Daddy, didn't you? Oh, he's not gone from this story, not by a long shot, is all I'm going to say._**

**_Thoughts?_**


	34. Chapter 34

_**A/N: Thank you to **__too much drama 1225__, Imagineer1392, __ghunter182003__, LuxuriaVanitas, __ChelleLew__, ItsGbruhh__, __Cougar3371__, CFierce116, __Alisi824__, __nikki1335__, __Bharm__, Tammy, Guest, ItReignsJustice-619, B.J., demonicseer, __IRENELOVE83__, DeeMarie426, __justkimmy__, __benova13, __Olivia Reigns__, Sasha, __princessreigns, __Shield316, corbettluv __**and**__ illionaire__** for the lovely reviews! **__**Luxuria, girl, your taste in music is awesome.**_

_**Based on some reviews and PMs I received following the last update, Ambrose fangirls stay hilarious. Get over it, is all I've got to say.**_

_**Enjoy 34!**_

* * *

The sizeable backyard of Reggie Hernandez's home bustled with activity as the _Reggie's Bar and Grill_ owner's birthday celebration was in full swing. The smell of burgers, sausages and chicken being cooked over the grill permeated the warm Tampa Bay air. An outdoor cookout was the perfect party idea and the fabulous Florida weather helped matters. It was also perfect timing for Joe and the Fatu twins, who had just returned from their fortnight-long tour of Europe and were able to make the festivities.

Pam came to the party with Elgin, and Jon, Colby, Lauren, Jonny, Trinity and her friend Ariane were also invited. Jonny's twin Josh came with his girlfriend Gianna and their newborn son. Their father Solofa, famously known as Rikishi and a good friend of Reggie's also showed up. Nick and Wayne, the Grill's bouncers came along, as well as Amber and a couple of her friends. Also around were Pam's work colleagues Brandy, Gretchen and Scott. T.K. invited his friend Steve, who looked like he was in Dreamland at the sight of so many WWE Superstars around. Reggie helped flip burgers on the grill, proudly donning a neon green Birthday Boy apron. As the celebrant he should have been relaxing and leaving the work to someone else but he was determined to be involved, like he always was. His wife Cheryl and their twins Gabby and Regina all wore white t-shirts with Reggie's face emblazoned on the front and 'Birthday Boy's Girl' on the back. There were about fifty people in all, with younger kids running around playing while the adults mingled in small scattered groups enjoying the festal ambience.

"So serious question, Sash," Pam said, her fabulous body stretched along a beach chair. "How the hell did we get such delicious, bodacious hunks for boyfriends?" she asked, the two women watching their men talk animatedly next to one of the many food tables. Probably about workout techniques, if they were betting women. Elgin was a gym buff just like Joe and even if the man didn't watch wrestling, he still respected their athleticism and dedication to their craft, and never hesitated to swap fitness experiences with Joe.

Sasha tore her eyes away from Joe and feigning arrogance, replied, "Do you even have to ask? Look at us, girl. We're total goddesses."

Pam laughed. "Damn straight. And speaking of, you have been absolutely glowing. Don't think I ain't notice you're looking trimmer now, and I know it's not just because of the yoga."

"Look who's talkin'. You're the one who's been all lovey-dovey. It's always 'Gin this' and 'Gin that'. I've never seen you this strung out on a man before. You, my friend, are in love." She wiggled her eyebrows at the other woman, her smile widening when Pam hid her face shyly behind the rim of her cup of Pina Colada.

"I am," she said. Sasha couldn't have been happier for her. It was so nice to see her like this, and with a gem of a man too. Much like Joe did with Sasha, Elgin treated Pam like a queen, spoiled her rotten, and unlike Sasha, Pam had no problem accepting the lavish gifts he showered her with. Elgin's calm collected nature was the soothing balm to Pam's bubbly fire and the two of them just worked. For the first time, the mother of two saw her best friend's relationship going the distance. "So when are you two gonna start poppin' out little Pams and Elgins, or is it too soon for that?" she joked.

Pam snorted. "Nah, Gin's said he's not sure about kids. Which is fine with me because I think that aspect of my life has passed me by anyway. I might be too old now."

"Pamela, you're only fourteen months older than me. It's not too late for you. You love kids. The way you treat T.K., Mia and your dance kids is proof. You're in great shape and our bodies are different. The fact that I went through what I did with Mia doesn't mean you'll go through the same thing, if that's what you're worried about."

Seemingly contemplating Sasha's words, Pam shrugged. "We'll see how it goes. We're just enjoying each other right now."

"Okay." Sasha wiped up some spilt liquor on her playsuit with a napkin before gazing at Pam. "You are happy though, right?"

The pensive expression was quickly replaced with a giddy smile. "Ecstatic," the petite woman responded, "And so are you."

"I haven't been this happy in a long time, babe," Sasha admitted.

"Well you deserve it. We both do. It's about time we were treated like the queens that we are." Pam raised her plastic red cup. "Here's to us. To fabulous, drama-free, long-lasting relationships with our sinfully smokin' other halves, filled with lots and lots of great sex."

Sasha held up her own cup. "Sensational sex," she added.

"Mind-blowing, earth-shattering, eyes-roll-back sex," declared Pam, "Because we deserve nothing less."

"Hear hear, trick." Sasha clinked their cups together and took a sip of her Margarita. "Looks like you're feeling better about the food poisoning thing."

"Still recovering," said Pam, grunting irritably. "Like I'm still dizzy and shit which is pissin' me off. I got my regular doctor's appointment in a few days so I'll get checked out. Ever since Elgin took me to that damn seafood restaurant last week I haven't been the same. I've told him if he ever makes me eat oysters again I'll fuckin' kick his ass."

They lounged about for a couple more minutes, both of them laughing as they watched Pam's friend Scott flirt outrageously with Joe. Of course, the big man was his usual courteous self, smiling at whatever Scott was saying but Sasha could see that he was trying hard not to make a run for it. A little later she met up with Cheryl to see if she needed any help. Reggie handed her his brand new Nikon camera as she was the only one he could trust with his camera and to take good photos. Obliging him, she milled around, precious valuable camera in hand, taking pictures of the kids playing around, of Reggie working the grill, Lauren feeding Colby cake as she sat on his lap, Pam's friend Brandy giving Jon Good rabbit ears behind his head, among others. A few of Amber's friends and some of the other women at the party kept scampering around for pictures with all of the wrestlers. A few of them spent an uncomfortably long time with Joe, and Sasha valiantly fought the urge to whack the camera upside each of their pretty little heads. She wandered over to the back porch where Josh's girlfriend Gianna and his dad Solofa sat away from the sun fawning over her baby. She held up the camera, snapping the tender moment between three generations, and smiled when Solofa looked up. "Uh oh, busted," she joked.

"It's all good, Sash," Solofa said, his grin as bright as his trademark blond hair. "Have you met my grandson?"

"Not yet, there was a super-long line of people waiting to see him," said Sasha. "What's his name?"

"Brandon," Gianna answered, as Sasha sat next to the new mother. "Brandon, that's a great name," she commented, staring down at the baby.

"Wanna hold him?" asked Gianna.

"Sure." Handing Solofa the camera, Sasha took the baby carefully into her arms. "Hi Brandon," she cooed. He was so tiny, only two weeks old. His eyes were closed, fast asleep and oblivious to the party going on around him. He was dressed in a tiny t-shirt and a pair of shorts and was barefoot. He already had a full head of hair and the lovely olive skin tone his fellow Polynesians all seemed to have. Sasha smiled at Gianna. "Honey, he's gorgeous."

Gianna preened. "Thanks. He looks just like his daddy, doesn't he?"

"He's more handsome than his daddy." Sasha shifted him so that he was resting on her chest and curled up under her chin. The smell of baby powder took her back, reminding her of the very first time she held Mia in her arms and T.K. before that. No matter how many times she'd done it, there was no sweeter feeling than a newborn snuggling against your skin.

She looked up, locking eyes with Joe. He was watching her intently, his expression unreadable. She flashed him a warm smile, and his grey eyes softened. Brandon awoke, squirmed and made a mewling sound, recapturing Sasha's attention. Bouncing him a little, she grabbed the pacifier attached to his shirt and gently plugged it into his mouth, and he sucked it greedily. "He's probably hungry," Sasha offered.

"I fed him ten minutes ago. He's always hungry," Gianna laughed. "He's just like his dad. Always eating."

"He's definitely one of us then." The three of them looked up to see Joe standing next to Sasha, smiling down at his nephew. "Look at that. He's already got his dad's big ears."

"Don't be mean, Joseph," Gianna scolded.

"I'ma tell Josh you said that," Solofa said to Joe, laughing.

"He already knows."

Sasha looked over at Joe, his gaze somewhat wistful as he ran the back of his index finger down Brandon's cheek. His finger looked so big on his chubby little cheek, and she felt her heart flip. Clearing her throat, she said to Gianna with a smile, "Well, let me not hog him." She carefully gave Brandon back to her, and the new mother was instantly swarmed by a group of women cooing over the baby. Sasha retrieved Reggie's camera from Solofa and stood up to face Joe. "I see you finally escaped from Scott," she quipped.

"Yeeeah," Joe drawled, cringing. "I've never been hit on by a guy before. I don't wanna say it was weird, but it was weird." He stopped abruptly, pouting at Sasha trying to hide her laughter. "Don't laugh at me."

"Look, you've gone all red. It's so adorable. Like...wait, come back!" She followed him as he started walking away from her, laughing when he turned around and stuck out his tongue. "Yeah, real mature, you big baby."

Shaking his head, he returned to his girlfriend's side. "Have you had anything to eat?" he asked.

Sasha groaned. "Babe, I'm stuffed. If I eat anymore my ass will explode. It's already fat enough as it is."

Joe's eyes blazed as he glared at her. "What have I told you about putting yourself down, Sasha?"

She frowned and glanced down at her sandals. "Sorry. It just slipped out."

"Yeah, well, that needs to stop," he retorted, the harshness of his tone causing Sasha to look back up in surprise. "I really need you to quit talking like that or thinking like that. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that I love your body before you realize I mean it. Hell, I want to grope you right here right now in plain sight of everyone but there's kids here, and T.K. will probably kill me."

And just like that, he'd managed to make her feel chastened and turned on at the same time. Damn.

Before she could reply they heard a commotion, and the two turned to where a small crowd had circled around Mia and Regina in the middle of the backyard as the two girls danced in perfect sync to the David Guetta song booming from the speakers, the scene made comical with Jonny Fatu beside them trying to copy their moves and failing woefully. Sasha turned to Joe, seizing the chance to change the subject. "You know, you've never danced for me."

He snorted at the statement, raising his plastic cup to his lips. "You know I'm too big to dance."

Sasha scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Dude. If those hips of yours can move the way they do in bed then you'll be just fine." Noting he was standing right behind her, she began to move her hips to the beat of the song, subtly grinding her ass against him, and smiled when his large hand splayed over her stomach and his body pushed into hers. The thin fabric of her playsuit brought him in intimate contact with every outline and curve of her body. She plucked his cup out of his hands and feigned accidentally dropping it on the grass beneath their feet. Crouching down to pick it up, she slowly, sexily made her way back to her full height, ensuring her butt rolled directly against his crotch in the process.

Joe bent down, nipped her earlobe and growled, "If you think for one second that I won't throw you over my shoulder, take you back to the car and fuck the shit out of you, you're gravely mistaken."

Oh my.

"Get a room, y'all," Trinity stated as she walked by, with Ariane giggling beside her.

Chuckling, Sasha stepped back from Joe, who casually adjusted himself in his shorts. "This ain't over, _nani_," he asserted, his eyes dark.

She smiled seductively. "Of course not," she answered, and with a parting wink, she sauntered over to rejoin Pam, feeling his eyes on her the whole time.

* * *

Somehow, Joe ended up spending the night in her home. Mia had made the suggestion out of the blue, and to Sasha's surprise, T.K. had no problem with it. She'd stayed the night at Joe's place only a handful of times since they first got together but he had never stayed at hers, mainly out of respect for the children. To be fair to him, he had taken her aside right before they left the party and offered to go home if she wasn't comfortable with it, but Sasha couldn't bring herself to do that to her kids, nor did she really want him to go home. It was good, really good, to have him around, to have another adult to talk to.

Since they had brought back so much food from Reggie's party there was no need to make dinner, thankfully. Spending the rest of the evening indoors, they munched on leftovers with T.K. and Joe still gloating about the impromptu football game that took place at the party in which their side won, while Mia sat in the kitchen with her mother watching the newest _Step Up_ movie on Joe's iPad. It seemed surreal, seeing him in her apartment beyond nine p.m., but it was fabulous to see her babies enjoying themselves around him. It did all sorts of interesting things to her heart seeing Joe laughing and joking and continuing to prove to be an all-around great guy. Things were so much more different only a month ago, when they thought it was over between them.

Sasha knew it was bedtime when Mia fell asleep on Joe's lap. T.K. picked her up and bid the adults goodnight, but not before dispensing some heartfelt advice. "Goodnight mom. Joe. Kindly keep any possible shenanigans on the down low, if you can. Thanks in advance." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully before carrying his little sister into his bedroom.

Sasha covered her flaming face, mortified. "I'm going to kill that boy."

Joe laughed and put his arm around her. "He's just playing around. Come on, let's go inside."

Back in her room, he lay in bed stripped down to his boxer shorts and watched Sasha walk out of the bathroom wearing an oversized Shield t-shirt and a pair of boy shorts. She turned off the lights in the room, the only source of illumination emanating from the streetlight outside. She approached the bed, taking his extended hand and letting him pull her on top of him. Framing his face with her hands, she gently swept her lips over his, melting into him like always as he kissed her back tenderly. "I love you," she whispered.

"I'll never get tired of hearing you say that, baby girl." They made out some more until he turned his head to release a loud yawn. "I should punish you for teasing me earlier today but I'm so fuckin' tired," he said.

"It's okay. We can just cuddle." She slid over to his right side and wound her arms around his big body. She placed her nose at his throat and drank him in, her toes wiggling against his shin like always, her feet never quite able to reach his own. "Good day?" she asked him.

"Great day," Joe nodded, his own arm winding underneath her body so that his hand rested on her butt. "It's always awesome to hang out with friends and family."

"I lost count of how many women were drooling over you today," she whispered, a frown crossing her features.

He pulled back, and even in the dim room she could see the gleam in his eye. "Why, Miss Morgan, were you jealous?"

Sasha shrugged. "A little."

Joe smiled proudly at her. "I like that you get jealous even though you know I'm all yours."

"Damn right you're all mine," she hissed, swinging her leg across his body as though marking her territory. Chuckling, the Samoan patted her thigh, shutting his eyes as the fatigue from the long day gradually descended upon them.

"So…Brandon's a little cutie, isn't he?" he heard Sasha say, her voice tentative.

A couple of seconds passed before he replied, rigidly, "He is."

"What were you thinking when you were looking at him?"

Almost instantly, she felt him stiffen. "What do you mean?"

She shot him a 'don't play dumb' look, but her features softened when she took in his coy, almost embarrassed expression. "Baby it's okay, talk to me. Don't hide from me. I'm just curious." Stroking his cheek gently, she met his eyes dead on. "Were you thinking about your baby?"

He stared back at her, a tinge of sorrow in his gorgeous eyes. When his voice broke the awkward silence once more, it was flat and dull. "Yeah," he sighed. "I thought about him. What he would look like now. If it was even a boy. Brandon woulda had another big brother or sister to grow up with by now. I think about it all the time." Turning his head, he focused his gaze on the weathered, peeling ceiling. "I didn't want to say anything about it so I won't creep you out or scare you away. I wish I could stop thinking about it, I really do. But I just can't seem to."

"You're not scaring me," Sasha assured him, "It's perfectly understandable and I'm truly sorry about what happened. I wish I could take the pain away for you. You just know this. You're gonna get what you want, Joe. You're young and strong and healthy, and when you're good and ready it will happen. Don't worry."

His gaze softened at her words, silently wondering how he had coped without this woman in his life. "Thanks for that, baby girl." Kissing the top of her head, he snickered. "You know, we've been dating for over six months and this is the first time I'm sleeping over at yours. It's cool though, I get why. You didn't want the kids to feel uncomfortable or awkward."

"I actually wasn't sure if it was ever going to happen," she said, laughing a little. "I was surprised when Mia came up to me and even more shocked when T.K. said he didn't mind. I have no idea why they had that thought in the first place." She gazed up at him, her hand idly caressing his chest. "Whatever it was, I'm really happy that you're here. It feels great to cuddle with someone other than an eight-year-old at night."

"Same here. I'll admit it's not much fun being in a big-ass house all by myself sometimes. It feels pretty empty when I'm there alone. I didn't notice it all that much before we got together 'cause I was used to it I guess. Now I feel it big time when you're not around. That's why I'm always trying to get you to stay longer when you come over."

"And nine times out of ten, you succeed." She smiled softly as she drew her finger along his goatee. "You're welcome to sleep over anytime. There might not be all that much room here, but you're welcome nonetheless."

He smiled. "I'll take it. And right back at ya, baby." Unbeknownst to her, he'd thought about much more than just sleeping over. More than once he'd imagined asking her to move in with him, her and the kids. They would have all the space they were lacking here, she would never have to worry about paying the rent and he wouldn't come home to an empty house. But he didn't dare mention it to her, knowing very well that she would freak out, tell him that it was way too soon for such a big step. That's if she even wanted to take that step in the first place. He wouldn't risk it just yet, deciding to wait a while longer before he broached the subject to her.

Wordlessly, he drew her smaller frame to his and kissed her forehead. Sasha caressed his lips with hers in a quick kiss before resting her head in the crook of his neck. Their collective breathing soon slowed as they settled into a deep, comfortable sleep.

* * *

_**School's back and I've got dissertation to think about now, so my time is going to split some more. But I'll keep updating when I can, I promise.**_

_**I got a new story up called You Consume Me. Care to read and hopefully review? *puppy dog eyes***_

_***rolls up sleeves for the next chapter***_

**_Thoughts on the update?!_**


	35. Chapter 35

_**Sorry it's been a while. School is kicking my ass and has left me somewhat depressed. Getting that Master's Degree is no joke, yo. ITDE has been one of my happy places and frankly I'm grateful for it.**_

_**_**Hell in a Cell was disappointing. Orton should face Lesnar for once and Dean vs Seth should have ended clean. I just expected more, really. On the bright side, the Bray-Dean promos will be gold.**_**_

___**Hugs and kisses to **__ChelleLew, __Alisi824, __Tammy, __ThatGirl54,__O__livia __Reigns__,__ benova13, __corbettluv__, Bharm, __nikki1335__, fedslunchbreak, __ItReignsJustice-619__, ItsGbruhh, __DeeMarie426__, Shield316, __LuxuriaVanitas__, __Brie's Mode, Claire, __Violet Craine__** and **__princessreigns__** for the reviews. Thank you, Claire. I'm very glad you noticed that about Pam.**___

_**Enjoy 35!**_

* * *

It was meant to be a perfectly normal morning.

Sasha got up at the usual time. Took a shower, got dressed and got T.K. and Mia ready for school like always. She picked up the mail dropped at her front door, then did whatever needed to be done around the apartment. Joe was still in bed and she left him there for a well-deserved lie-in. The plan was for the two of them to just lay around and relax until it was time for her evening shift at the Grill, then Joe would drop her off at work before driving home. That was the plan. A normal, peaceful day. But she knew the second she found Joe slumped on her bathroom floor, that all of that was about to change in a big, drastic way.

The sight of Joe laying in a fetal position on the cold tiled ground sent shockwaves through Sasha's entire being. "Baby!" She rushed over and dropped to her knees beside him. "Are you okay? What happened? Did you fall?"

His only response was a pained groan, his face scrunched up in agony with his muscular arms still wound around his midsection. She tried to get him to sit up. "Babe, what happened? What's wrong? Is it your stomach?" she inquired, noticing how he kept clutching at that body part. Maybe it was just the side effects of yesterday's party. There'd been a lot to eat after all.

Joe started to say something but he slapped a hand over his mouth instead. Suddenly he pushed away from Sasha, and she watched in utter shock as he lunged for the toilet and buried his head in it. Then she heard the sound of vomiting.

"Jesus, Joe!" She leaned over him and quickly gathered his hair away from his face as he emptied the contents of his stomach, rubbing his back until he was done. He heaved his body away from the toilet and sat back on the floor, grimacing in pain as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Sasha was exponentially worried now. She flushed the toilet and pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. "Wow, you're burnin' up. Maybe you've got a stomach bug."

Joe shook his head. "It's not just a stomach bug. There's a big-ass lump in my groin area and I don't know where the hell it came from. Tried to take a piss but I can't…hurts like hell…like my insides are train' to break through my stomach." He hugged himself, his breaths heavy and labored. "It's killin' me."

"Let me see." She managed to untangle his arms, and underneath his shirt a noticeable bulge protruded from his pelvis. That was all she needed to see. "I'm calling 911." She rushed into the bedroom to get Joe's iPhone and returned, squatting down in front of him as she dialed the three digits with trembling fingers. The operator answered her call, and taking down all the information Sasha provided, promised to have an ambulance at her address in ten minutes.

"Call Doc," Joe wheezed, "Doctor Michael Sampson. He's our ringside physician and he's in town. He needs to know."

"Okay." Finding his name on the phone, Sasha dialed the number, relieved when he picked up right away.

"Hello?"

"H-hi, Doctor Sampson? I'm Sasha, Joe's girlfriend," she stammered, unable to hear herself over her heart pounding in her ears. "It's Joe. His groin area is swollen and he's in a lot of pain."

"Have you called 911?" Doctor Sampson asked.

"Yes, right before I called you. They're on their way. I'm worried, Doctor. He doesn't look good at all."

"What other symptoms does he have?"

She looked over at Joe, sitting with his back against the shower stall and gritting his teeth. "He's got a fever and he vomited. He says he tried to use the toilet a couple of minutes ago but he couldn't because of the pain in his groin." Sasha bit her lip. "Doctor, what's wrong with him? It can't be cancer," She swallowed hard as she thought the worst.

"No Sasha, I doubt it's cancer-related but I won't rule it out." Sampson paused. "I think I have an idea what it could be but I can't be sure until there's been a full diagnosis. Tell the EMTs to take him to St. Luke's Memorial. Doctor George Crestwood will be expecting you. I'm on my way. Try to keep Joe as calm as you can, alright?"

"Okay. Thanks Doctor Sampson."

"Please. Call me Michael. And no problem. Keep me updated."

With that, the call ended and Sasha reverted her attention to her boyfriend, sitting down next to him. She reached for him, holding him close. She'd never seen him like this before. He didn't look good at all and it scared her. "He said to go to St. Luke's Memorial. He'll be there."

"It fuckin' hurts, Sash," Joe groaned, wincing.

"I know, I know," said Sasha, wiping the sweat from his brow. "They'll be here soon."

Thankfully, they arrived on time, and paramedics helped Joe out of Sasha's apartment and downstairs into the ambulance, with Sasha joining him inside. The ride to the hospital seemed to take forever. Doctor Crestwood, a man in his mid-forties with greying hair at the temples was waiting for them, as was Michael. Joe was whisked into a private room for a quick X-ray, and the results were stunning.

"You have an incarcerated hernia, Mr. Anoa'i."

"The hell does that mean?" asked Joe, slightly calmer now that he'd received some medicine to ease his pain.

Pointing at the X-ray, Doctor Crestwood explained. "See this loop of intestine over here, right here? It's not meant to be there. It's in your abdominal wall and cutting off the blood supply to your bladder and groin regions. That's why that area is so swollen and painful. Your bowel is being obstructed as well and that's what's causing your nausea and vomiting. The symptoms could appear over a long period of time, or it could happen overnight, as it's happened in your case. A common cause of hernia in athletes is excessive heavy weightlifting. I'm fully aware that your line of work requires you to be in the best physical shape possible, but you may have overexerted yourself in the process, leading to this." He tapped the X-ray again.

Sasha glanced at Joe, squeezing his hand comfortingly. "So what's the next step?" she asked Crestwood.

Michael picked up from where his colleague left off. "We can't leave this untreated any longer, Joe. The abdominal hernia is already strangulating your insides due to the loss of blood flow and twisted your intestine. You're in no condition to push on anyway as you're in so much pain already. Even then it could get much worse really quickly and lead to a fatal outcome."

Crestwood stepped away from the X-ray and looked Joe square in the eye. "In other words Mr. Anoa'i, we gotta operate," he concluded.

Sasha froze. "Operate? Like surgery?"

Crestwood nodded. "Yes ma'am. And right away."

Joe looked at Michael, Sasha, and then Crestwood. There was no doubting his answer. "Let's do it."

* * *

Half an hour later the Samoan was in a hospital gown and tucked in bed, minutes away from going under the knife. From her bed into a hospital bed all in a matter of hours. Sasha felt like she was on some sort of bullet train, it was all happening so fast.

Joe met his girlfriend's eyes and couldn't hide his amusement. "You look petrified, babe," he pointed out. "It can't be that bad. You've had surgery before."

"Only once, and I was unconscious the whole time. I don't remember a thing," Sasha reminded him, worry in her eyes as she placed a hand on his cheek. "But yes, I am terrified. They better not fuck it up."

"They won't. Doc says Crestwood has done this surgery many times before. The office trusts him," said Joe. "You got my phone right? Call Cassie. Let her know what's happening, alright?"

Sasha nodded just as a nurse came up to them. "They're ready for you, Mr. Anoa'i," she stated.

Joe nodded and turned back to Sasha, linking his fingers through the ones resting on his face. "Stay. Please."

"I'm not going anywhere. I promise," she vowed. Willing away the tears threatening to fall, she pressed her lips to his, pouring every emotion she was feeling into the kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too, _nani_." He gave her a small smile. "I'll be out in a bit."

Michael patted Joe's shoulder. "See you soon, buddy."

"I'll be right here, baby," Sasha said, not taking her eyes off the bed as it was wheeled away to an operating room.

"Gotta call Vince, tell him what's going on," Michael muttered, pulling out his phone.

"Yeah." Her mouth felt so dry she could barely speak.

The WWE doctor stopped what he was doing to observe her closely. "Sasha, you're shaking."

"I…" She glanced down at her trembling hand but she could barely see it through her tears. She looked up helplessly at Michael, who put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Come with me." He led her into a private waiting room and coaxed her into a seat. "You can sit in here and wait. No one will bother you here. There's coffee down the hall if you'd like." He looked at her with kind eyes. "It's okay, Sasha. I know this is a shock for you but Joe's going to be fine. I'll check in on you and give you updates when I can. Okay?"

Nodding her head, she gave him a watery smile. "Okay. Thanks, Michael." After taking a few moments to compose herself, she proceeded to contact Cassie like Joe had asked, and informed her of the situation. She also sent quick texts to Pam and Reggie. From there, she waited. It was all she could do now. Wait and hope and pray.

Over an hour had passed when Cassie rushed into the waiting room. "I got here as quickly as I could. I met Doctor Sampson outside, he said Joe's still in surgery."

"He is," Sasha said. Cassie shrugged off her handbag went to sit beside the younger woman, taking in her pale features. "How you doing, girl?"

Sasha sighed. "Been better," she admitted quietly.

"Alma's in Dallas on business while Matt's in Japan," Cassie said. "They'll come down to Tampa as soon as they can. My mom will be here the day after tomorrow." She peered closely at Sasha and sighed. "Aw, sweetie…"

Tears slipped down Sasha's cheeks. "Oh, Cassie! It all happened so fast. One minute he's in bed, the next he's puking his guts out and now he's in surgery. I feel like I should have seen this coming but I didn't!"

Cassie took her hand and squeezed it gently. "This wasn't your fault, honey. I'm not sure that even Joe saw it coming. I know you feel scared but he's gonna be fine. Relax. Take a deep breath."

Mollified somewhat by her words and presence, Sasha held onto her hand, absorbing strength from her. Her mind drifted back to the events of the morning, the fear that had gripped her as she thought the worst. She was just glad that T.K. and Mia had not been at home to witness any of it. She fought off all the negative thoughts swirling around in her head. She couldn't think negatively. At least it wasn't cancer like she'd feared. Michael and Cassie were right; Joe was going to be just fine.

It was another hour of waiting. And another. At last, Doctor Crestwood walked into the waiting room, looking frazzled yet pleased. "Ladies, I'm pleased to inform you that the procedure went very well. We brought down the swelling and took out the hernia. He's in a stable condition but we have him sedated so he can sleep. We've moved him into a recovery room."

Sasha couldn't describe the relief that flowed through her body at that very moment. "Can I see him?"

"Yes you can. Nurse." He waved one of the nurses over, who guided Sasha and Cassie to Joe's room. At the sight of her boyfriend, Sasha felt her world stop moving.

He lay so still in the hospital bed, the rise and fall of his broad chest barely visible through his bulky hospital gown. There was a clamp on his left index finger, a blood pressure cuff on his left arm and an I.V. in the crook of his elbow. She walked over to his right side and sank down into the chair next to the bed. She stroked his hand and stared lovingly at his sleeping face.

A stressed-looking Michael entered the room and stood by the foot of Joe's bed. "How long will he sleep?" Sasha asked.

"A couple of hours. It's better if it's for longer so the anesthesia will have time to wear off."

"And what about work? When can he wrestle again?"

"It's too soon to tell. They'll keep him overnight to monitor and assess him. It could take a day or two before a conclusion is reached."

"Can I stay here with him overnight?" She looked at him with pleading eyes.

"I'm sure you can. I'll confirm that for you."

"Thank you." Sasha smiled at Michael then turned back to Joe, resuming her watch on him.

Her phone rang and it was Pam, who sounded worried. "Honey, I've been trying to reach you! What's this you said about Joe having surgery?"

"Yeah." Sasha whispered so as not to wake Joe. "He got seriously sick this morning and I had to take him to the hospital. He got out of surgery about an hour ago."

"Is he gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, it looks that way."

"What hospital are you at? I'm coming over right now."

Sasha gave her the address and thanked her before hanging up. She remained by Joe's side as people came and went. Cassie was either outside on the phone or in the room with Sasha watching over her baby brother. Pam arrived with three Styrofoam cups of Starbucks coffee, handing Cassie and Sasha one each before sitting beside Sasha and putting an arm around her. "I can take the kids tonight," she said simply.

Sasha smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

Pam kissed her shoulder. "Don't mention it, babe. You just be here for your man."

Cassie went outside to take yet another call. A while later, Pam had to leave to pick up Mia from school. The nurses and doctors continued to bustle in and out of the hospital, reading machines and taking notes while Joe continued to sleep. Sasha shifted her chair closer to his bed and laid her head on his arm. Her body felt drained as the madness of the morning started to take its toll on her.

She woke to long fingers caressing her cheek. Her eyes opened and she lifted her head, finding her boyfriend's gorgeous grey eyes gazing down at her.

"Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?" Joe whispered.

In the back of her mind she scoffed at the statement. She had no makeup on and her hair was disheveled in an untidy bun. But that was overshadowed by the happiness she felt to see him awake. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

"Tired. Floated in and out of consciousness a few times. You looked tired so I decided to let you sleep." He patted the small space beside him on the edge of the bed. "Come up here."

Her expression was uncertain. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I asked the Doctor if you could sit with me when you woke up and he agreed as long as I don't move too much."

She got up to sit on the bed and positioned her body carefully so as not to disturb him. She ran her fingers through his messy hair as he nuzzled the side of her face. "You smell good," he remarked.

"It's that new perfume you got me. I wore some this morning," Sasha said, resting her head against his. "You scared me so bad, baby."

Joe pressed his lips to her temple. "I know. I'm sorry."

"I kept thinking about you while you were in surgery. I hated not knowing what was going on and I was terrified that something would go wrong and…" She paused, fighting back her emotions as she took a shaky breath.

"Hey, relax. You didn't need to worry. I'm a thoroughbred, remember?" he smirked, and Sasha grinned despite herself, glad to see he was still his old cocky self.

Turning his gaze to the door, he said, "Doc says this will be the difficult part; how long I'm gonna be out for, the rehab, getting back in fighting shape." He sighed tiredly. "Sounds like fun."

"Sounds like a challenge for you. One I know you'll handle very well," Sasha assured him. "Look on the bright side. It could have been a much worse outcome. You coulda ruptured your groin, and I for one am _very_ relieved that didn't happen. It's hard to find a good bed buddy in this day and age," she joked.

"Ain't nobody else gonna share your bed but me, baby girl," Joe answered firmly, exhaling again. "There won't be any of _that_ for a while, that's for sure. I hope you don't mind."

"Sweetie, I lasted eight years without dick. This ain't nothin'," she said with a laugh. It felt like ages since she'd laughed. "I can wait."

Joe smiled. "Good."

"I'll get Cassie and the Doctor for you." Sliding off the bed, Sasha patted his lap and smiled. "Welcome back, Champ."

* * *

Joe was kept overnight for further observations and tests. Sasha stayed with him, as did Cassie. Most of his friends managed to get in contact with him while he was in hospital and wished him well. WWE producers showed up the day after the surgery to record a video documenting Joe's recovery and update the WWE Universe. Sasha personally thought they could have done it at a later time when he was a little better. He was still groggy and disoriented from all the medicine being administered to him. She was amazed that he could even speak coherently. But she understood it was business and they had to strike while the iron was hot.

And then came the bad news. Joe would be out of action for four months. It was a devastating blow to everyone, particularly to the Samoan, who had stared at Crestwood as if he'd sprouted a second head. Sasha felt terrible for him. Nothing could be worse to an athlete than being told he couldn't do the thing he loved to do. But there was nothing he could do but focus on getting better and the sooner Joe accepted that, the better. On the positive side, the outpouring of love and support from the WWE fans was amazing. Flowers, cards and teddy bears came in from all over the world, as well as messages via social media. Sasha could tell the fans' support made Joe feel much better and that was fine by her. Positive energy was all he needed right now.

* * *

Joe was happy to be discharged from the hospital three days later. Cassie took him home, accompanied by Sasha. She was pleased to see that his car had been brought back to his place from hers and figured that Cassie had arranged for that to happen. Lord knows _she_ hadn't been thinking about that. She helped Joe into the guest room downstairs, with Cassie deciding to order lunch for Joe while Sasha went upstairs to his bedroom to move his things downstairs. "We need to find somewhere to keep all these gifts and flowers from your fans," she said cheerfully, pushing into the guest room with a stack of Get Well Soon cards. "I could bring all of it in here if you want. I did see a little stuffed bunny rabbit that I might keep for myself though, it looked so cute and fluffy." Dropping the cards on the bed, she halted at the sight of him seated at the edge of the bed, his handsome face masked in misery. "What is it?"

His voice was quiet, almost a murmur. "I hate this," he grumbled, then winced in pain. "Four fuckin' months, Sasha! What the hell am I gonna do with all that time? By the time I get back someone else is gonna take my spot and where will that leave me?" He shook his head. "I hate this. I fuckin' hate this."

She sat down next to him. "I'll tell you what you're going to do with all that time. You're going to recuperate and get back in ring shape, and be better and stronger than you've ever been. And when you return it'll be like you never left." When he didn't answer, she took his face in both her hands. "Joe, look at me. Look at me."

She waited until he did, and the despair in his eyes broke her heart. "You can do this," she told him confidently. "You _will_ do this. You will come back stronger than you left and ready to kick ass again. You said it yourself, you're a thoroughbred. It's not going to be easy, but you're going to do it and you're gonna get back out there and take back your spot. And I'll be there every step of the way. I'm gonna be there for you, Joe." She held his gaze with hers, conveying to him without words that she meant every word she'd said.

For a moment, Joe didn't move. Then, he leaned over and rested his forehead against hers, shutting his eyes tightly as he silently drew strength from the woman he loved. "Thank you."

Sasha smiled and pecked the top of his head, reaching up to tuck a lock of his hair behind his ear. "Don't worry, baby. You're gonna be fine. I promise."

* * *

_**Did a little bit of research on hernia and put it on here. Still not sure it's 100% accurate, but I think it looks alright.**_

_**Things have taken another turn for Jasha, haven't they? A long-term injury now? How will they handle this? _**I hope no one is losing interest in ITDE yet. **_I've still got a few things in mind for our favorite couple but you'll just have to wait and see…**_

_**Working on the next chapter soon. Please read and review this one, it will make me happy like always. Thank you loves! :D**_


	36. Chapter 36

_**A/N: Thank you all so much for the lovely reviews. Big shout out to **__too much drama 1225, ChelleLew, corbettluv, Bharm, Alisi824, Tammy, Sasha, IRENELOVE83, DeeMarie426, benova13, nikki1335, ItReignsJustice-619, Olivia Reigns, princessreigns, Shield316 __**and **__justkimmy__**. I truly appreciate you all taking the time to let me know what you think, especially those who constantly review. I enjoy reading all your thoughts, honestly. Thanks!**_

_**Sasha helps with Joe's recovery, but is it going as easily as they hoped? Enjoy!**_

* * *

The transition of an athlete to inactivity is always a tough road for every sportsperson, and it was no different with Joe. The first few days after his emergency surgery were rough. He was still in some pain and had to stay in bed most of the time, and when he had to walk around he had a hard time doing it on his own. He was always tired thanks to the medicine prescribed to him. Sasha and his sisters ensured he was following the Doctors' instructions to a tee. They monitored his meds, kept him drinking lots of fluids and eating plenty of vegetables, fruit and high-fiber foods. Whole meal bread, pasta and brown rice, which he particularly hated, were regulars on his menu. Sasha could tell that Joe hated the changes and hated having to rely on people for help, but that was the way it had to be for now and she gently tried to remind him that there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

Due to Joe's injury, the WWE officials decided to vacate the Tag Team Championships, much to the Samoan's chagrin. Jon had offered to hold the titles with Colby so as to keep them within the Shield but Vince and Paul were skeptical about Dean Ambrose holding the United States and Tag titles at the same time, so the pitch was turned down. Joe became unhappier than ever, going as far as to blame himself for costing Colby the title, even after the Iowa native insisted otherwise. Joe was feeling left behind as the product continued on without him. The fear of never recovering fully, of never reaching the level he was at prior to his injury nagged at him. He was very low on confidence and it was difficult to get his spirits back up.

However, it wasn't long before his cranky behavior started to irritate Sasha. He was angry all the time and found fault with everything everyone did, including his sisters. He moped around and was moody and picked arguments over the pettiest things, and it was getting old real fast. Sasha had nursed T.K. back to health from a sports-related injury a couple of times but it was nothing of this scale, and he certainly didn't give half the lip her boyfriend was giving her - probably because he knew she would've smacked him silly, but still. She understood Joe was frustrated but it was no excuse for his attitude. Though she couldn't lash out, it was becoming harder to rein in her own displeasure.

"What's this?" Joe sat up in bed, looking down at the tray of food she placed in front of him.

"Roast chicken, pasta and vegetables," said Sasha, walking over to draw the curtains open, the bedroom in dire need of some sunlight.

Joe stabbed a fork into the fillet. "There's oil in the chicken."

Sasha replaced the pillow he was resting on with a fluffier one. "It's roasted chicken. There's barely any oil in it."

"How come you didn't grill it though?" He was actually pouting.

"Roasting was faster for me, babe," she replied patiently. "Besides, I'm not great with the grill setting on your oven. What's the big deal? There isn't much difference between roasted and grilled anyway."

"Grilling is healthier," Joe said sternly in that know-it-all, second-coming-of-Einstein voice he liked to use whenever he wanted to sound smart. "More fat drips off when you grill. The last thing I want is to gain weight while I'm recovering."

Sasha rolled her eyes. "One chicken breast quarter is not going to make you fat, Joe."

He made a sound under his breath, and it took all of her willpower not to clock him in the head with the pillow she was holding. "Should I throw your food away then?" she questioned, barely-concealed irritation in her tone as she planted her hands on her curvy hips.

Joe frowned, and right then he looked like a petulant five-year-old. "I'll eat it," he answered begrudgingly. "Grill the chicken next time, okay?"

"Yes sir," she muttered under her breath as she picked up her handbag and started to leave.

"Where are you going?" the Samoan demanded.

"To work."

"Work?"

"Yes, Joe. Work. I still have a job, remember? One where I'm not afforded the luxury of skipping whenever I want."

"What does that mean? That _I'm_ skipping my job? You think I wanna be here?" Joe questioned angrily, pointing at himself.

Sasha kept up the patient tone. "I didn't say that."

"At least you get to go out," he complained. "I'm stuck here with nothing to do. I can't work out and I'm bored to death."

"This is only a temporary setback, babe. It's not the end of the world." They were starting to sound like broken records. They'd had different variations of this conversation for about a week straight now.

Joe took a sip of his water. "When are you gonna be back?"

"A little later than usual. I'm going to see Pam after work. She hasn't been feeling well and I haven't had time to see her."

"Because of me, right?"

"What?"

"You haven't had time to see her because of me," said Joe.

Sasha frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"You think I'm a burden, don't you?"

That did it for her. "Are you fuckin' serious? When have you ever heard me say that?"

"You don't have to say it. It's written all over your face." His tone was accusing. "Like my injury is keeping you from doing other things, keeping you here against your will. Is that how you feel?"

_Jesus._ Turning away, Sasha pinched the bridge of her nose, almost afraid to respond and say something she would regret. "I can't really do this right now. I'm late for work." She glared at him. "Am I free to go or do you wanna interrogate me some more?"

The two glowered at each other like some kind of awkward Mexican standoff, neither budging an inch until Joe returned his attention to the plasma screen TV. "See you later," he grumbled.

She left quickly. He was becoming more unbearable with each passing day.

* * *

Time went by quickly at the Grill, and afterwards she went to see Pam as planned. She had been sick for a while now and it was starting to worry Sasha. She knew Pam hated going to the Doctor and if she hadn't by now she would drag her to one right away.

Pam was in a right state. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were blotchy and red, but it was the devastated expression on her pretty face that alarmed the mother of two. "Jesus. What happened to you?" she asked, pushing into the apartment.

Pam paced back and forth in the middle of her living room, and Sasha could tell she'd been doing it for a long time. "I can't believe this is happening," she murmured. "I can't believe the mess I'm in!"

"What mess? What is happening?" inquired Sasha, as Pam continued to pace and mutter to herself. "Goddamn it Pamela, stop that! You scare me when you do that. Tell me what's going on!"

Forcing herself to a halt for her friend's sake, Pam had fresh tears in her eyes. "I just got back from the Doctor's appointment." Her voice shook as she swallowed hard. She could not believe she was about to say this. It still didn't feel real. "Sasha, I…I'm pregnant."

Sasha's eyes widened. "Huh?"

Pam glared at her. "Did I stutter? I'm four weeks pregnant. I finally went for my check up this morning and this is what the fuck popped out. See why I hate going to the Doctor? They're always bound to spring some fuckin' surprise outta fuckin' nowhere!"

Pregnant. Of course. All the signs had been there; her mood swings, the nausea, every symptom similar to that of food poisoning, what they thought she had. Sasha wondered how she hadn't realized it sooner_. Holy shit._ "Is it Elgin's?" she finally asked.

"Of course it's Elgin's! I ain't been with nobody else since we got together!" Pam retorted.

"Okay, don't bite my head off," said Sasha, sitting beside her on the sofa. "Have you told him?"

"He's in London and won't be back till the end of the week," Pam answered, jamming her fingers into her hair. "I don't understand, Sash! How the fuck did I get pregnant?"

Sasha blinked. "Well, when a man and a woman really love each other, and-"

"Fuck you! This is not funny!" Pam snapped. Her features suddenly sagged, her anger transforming back into misery. "We've always been careful. We used protection. Condoms, birth control, everything! Always! How did this happen?"

"You know as well as I do that shit don't work all the time," said Sasha, putting an arm around the smaller woman. "Babe, you have to tell Elgin."

Letting out an unladylike snort, Pam said, "Right, and have him dump my ass? He'll think I'm only after his money, that I've been trying to trap him all this time."

Sasha took Pam's hand in hers and looked her in the eye. "Of course he won't. He loves you."

"It's too soon, Sasha! We've only been together for what, four months? He said he's not thinking about babies! I don't even know if _I'm_ ready for a kid!" She trailed off and covered a hand over her mouth. "Damn it, I think I'm gonna be sick…again. Gimme a sec."

She made a beeline for her bedroom, disappearing inside for several minutes. Finally she returned, looking paler as she wiped her mouth. "Better?" Sasha queried when she sat back down.

"No. I've been puking for days now and I'm already over it. I don't know how you went through this shit twice." She leaned against Sasha's shoulder and sobbed. "Oh Sasha, what am I gonna do?"

Pam's fear radiated through her. Sasha hadn't seen her this frightened and helpless since her mother Irene was diagnosed with terminal cancer. But she knew exactly how she was feeling. "I know you're scared," she said softly, as Pam's watery eyes met hers. "You've seen me there before. First and foremost you have to tell Gin. He deserves to know. Whether it's over the phone or in person, just do it. Don't keep something like this from him. And whatever the outcome is, whatever he decides, I'm here for you. You know I'll never leave your side."

Pam flashed her a feeble smile. "Thanks. I…I don't know how I'm going to do this alone, Sasha."

"You won't be alone, babe. I'll be there for you, and so will Gin. You'll see." Sasha kissed her forehead and rubbed her arm.

Pam pulled out the band holding her ponytail and ruffled her loosened hair. "So how's your man doing?" she asked, frowning when Sasha averted her eyes. "That bad?"

"It's getting worse," Sasha lamented. "He's angrier, moodier. He barely talks to me and when he does it becomes an argument. Everything I do is a problem for him. I don't know what to do to make him feel better, it's like he's tired of me. How long will I wait before he straight up tells me he wants me gone or something?"

"That won't happen," Pam said. "It's not easy for him either, girl. He's injured. You know guys like him are very proud and he just needs his confidence back. Be patient with him and keep helping him. Things will get better sooner than you think."

Sasha let out a tired breath. "I can't wait. That time feels so far away." Looking back at Pam, she reached over and gently rubbed her friend's still flat stomach. "Speaking of time, I'm gonna be an aunt in nine months. That is so cool," she smiled broadly.

Pam look down at the hand on her stomach and started to tear up. "I still can't believe it," she murmured, then shook her head, wiping her face. "Gosh, I've been cryin' a damn shitload too."

"It's the hormones, babe. That's what happens when you're knocked up," Sasha laughed, hugging her best friend. "Congratulations, Pam-Pam. You're going to be a great mother."

* * *

Joe was in the living room, staring listlessly at the report on SportsCenter, seeing it without really seeing it. His mind was firmly on his girlfriend, who was obviously and rightfully losing patience with his attitude. He was taking his anger and frustration out on her and it wasn't right. She didn't have to do this. She didn't have to come over and take care of him like she was. She could have left him with his sisters but she didn't. And yet he was shitting all over her devotion to him. If he didn't start acting right she could possibly walk and he wouldn't blame her.

God, it would break him if she left. He couldn't do this without her. He had to find some way to make it up to her before it was too late.

His thoughts were interrupted by his phone vibrating with a text message.

_Hi hun. I know u're home. I'll be at ur place in 5. C ya. ;)_

Staring at the text again, he thought about replying and turning the sender away, but decided it was pointless. They would insist on showing up anyway. It wasn't the ideal companion but he didn't mind any sort of company at the moment.

Less than five minutes later the tall, blonde figure sashayed through the front door and into the house. "You could have at least replied my text," she said, her heels clicking as she approached him. "Wow, you're a mess."

Joe rolled his eyes and pushed back his messy ponytail. "Gee, thanks Danielle," he replied sarcastically.

"No problem. I was in the area and wanted to hang out." She plunked down next to the recliner he was sitting in and crossed her long legs. "How are you doing?"

As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was comfortable talking with her. They weren't as close as they used to be back in Developmental but they still talked now and again on the road. "Bored out of my mind," he sighed. "Being injured sucks ass."

"Where's the girlfriend?" Danielle inquired, looking around.

"At work," he answered, rather brusquely.

_Oh, so she's not a deadbeat,_ Danielle thought. "Interesting. Anyway, how long till you're back?"

"Couple of months, and it can't come soon enough." Yawning, he leaned back in his recliner and closed his eyes. "Sorry, I'm not going to be much of a talker. I just took my meds and that shit knocks me smooth the hell out sometimes."

"Everyone's been talkin' about you," said Danielle, whipping out her phone. "There's mixed thoughts on you being stripped of the Tag titles, fans speculating on what you're gonna do next, all that unnecessary hype and shit. Your Twitter followers are waiting impatiently for your next tweet."

"Yeah well, let 'em wait. I don't wanna talk to anyone," he griped.

Danielle lifted a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "You are in quite a mood, and it's not just because you're out of action," the WWE Diva said. "What is it? Trouble in Paradise? You and your girl are not used to seein' each other all the time and now y'all getting on each other's nerves. Am I right?"

Joe opened his eyes again, his jaw clenching. "It's nothing."

"You've never been a good liar, Joe," Danielle pointed out. "Come on. You can talk to me."

He could, but he wouldn't. He and Sasha may be on shaky ground but he doubted she would appreciate him mouthing off about her to a woman she was not fond of. "Don't worry about it. So how's my man Curt?" he asked, referring to his friend Curtis Hussey, better known as Fandango.

"He's fine," she replied in a tone that suggested she had no interest in talking about her on-again off-again boyfriend. Looking around again, she said, "Seriously, where's Tasha?"

"Her name's Sasha. Don't act like you ain't know. And she's working," he said simply.

"While you're here on your own?"

"She has to work, Dani. She's got a job. She'll be back soon anyway."

"That's a shame. She left you all alone when you need her the most. You see, that's the difference between her and me. I would never have left your side. I'd be here all the time. Like I am now." She shot him a meaningful look, one that set alarm bells ringing in his head.

His grey eyes widened when out of the blue she reached over and started to rub his shoulders. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"You're tense. Let me work those knots out for you." She continued to massage his broad shoulders. "I've always wondered, Joe," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Why didn't we ever get together?"

Because back then she also had her eyes on his cousin Josh. Finding out about that gave him the perfect excuse to back off. He didn't share women, especially not with his own flesh and blood. Even when it became clear that Josh wasn't into her, Joe had lost all interest. She hadn't been worth chasing then and she definitely wasn't now. "Uh, Dani, this isn't a good idea," he started to say, swallowing when her hand moved from his shoulders down to his chest.

Her eyes flicked up to meet his, locking gazes with him seductively. "Look, I'm sure Sasha's great and everything…but you and I both know I'm better for you. She doesn't understand the world we're from. She doesn't know what a man like you really needs. I do because I'm a part of that world. _Your_ world. You and I would've had something special if you'd just let it happen."

Her hand glided along his torso, and Joe stiffened at the realization that she was aiming for his crotch. "Danielle, don't. Stop." Wide awake now, he squirmed, trying to shift away from her. Her hand traveled further and further down, and she boldly kissed the crook of his neck. Joe fidgeted some more, cursing his injury for limiting his mobility.

With a firm flick of her finger under his bearded chin, Danielle directed his face to hers. "Come on, it's just one kiss," she laughed, her lips inches from his. "I won't tell if you don't."

"_What the fuck is this?_"

Startled, both Danielle and Joe's heads whipped towards the front door and saw Sasha standing there. If looks could kill, Danielle would be a cold, rotting corpse. "Get out," Sasha snarled, her tone laced with a venom that Joe had never heard from her before.

"This isn't your house, darlin'," Danielle retorted haughtily. "You got no right to tell me to leave."

"The hell I don't! You put your slutty little hands on _my_ boyfriend. Leave or I'll throw you out myself."

Danielle stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "I'd love to see you try."

Sasha stared blankly at her, and then threw her head back and laughed with such menace and malice that Joe legitimately feared for Danielle's life. He knew his girlfriend had finally snapped.

Dropping her handbag on the ground, Sasha took off her earrings. "This bitch think I'm playin'." She pulled her hair into in a ponytail, ensuring it was firm and in place. "Get the fuck out!" she said angrily. "Now!"

The WWE Diva made no move, simply flipping her blonde hair back and making a sound in the back of her throat. Keeping weary eyes on his approaching girlfriend, Joe said, "Danielle, I think you should go."

"I'm not goin' anywhere!" she protested. "Who does she think she is? Are you gonna sit there and let that bitch talk to me like-"

Her tirade ended abruptly in a startled scream when Sasha seized her by the hair and yanked her backwards with such force that her knees buckled. Without uttering a single word she dragged the taller woman, caveman-like, across the living room, the red mist surrounding her blocking out Danielle's shrieks. She could feel the bitch's fingernails digging into her wrists as she struggled to get away but Sasha had her in a vice-like grip and had no plans of loosening it. The mother of two threw open the front door and bodily flung Danielle out like the bag of trash that she was. She then marched over to the seat next to Joe, grabbed Danielle's handbag, marched back to the door and tossed the bag out to join its owner, and didn't look back as she slammed the door shut. She hoped the bitch tripped on the staircase and cracked a tooth or twenty, triflin' thirsty-ass ho.

Joe remained in his recliner, stunned. "Sasha-"

She pointed a trembling finger at him. "You got some damn fuckin' nerve, Anoa'i."

"It wasn't what it looked like!"

"Oh, so that bitch humping your leg was a figment of my imagination?" she countered angrily. "Tell me this, Joe. Did you ask her to come over? Have you been calling her behind my back?"

"No I haven't! I didn't ask her to come over either!" Joe insisted. "Sasha, calm your ass down!"

"Calm my ass down?" she repeated, livid. "I come back from work and find her seconds away from shoving her tongue down your throat and you expect me to calm down?" Hands on her hips, she glared pointedly at him. "Do you want her, Joe? Huh? Should I go get her back so she can come take care of you instead?"

Joe started to reply until he saw the tears in her eyes. "Sasha, listen to me-"

Her hand shot up, silencing him. "No! Don't. I don't wanna hear it. Just…don't." Forcing a deep breath into her lungs, she headed towards the sliding glass door. "I need air. I'm outside if you need me, your Majesty." Mocking a curtsy, she stormed out of the house, desperate to be as far away from that infuriating man as possible. Making her way to the deck, she slumped down in one of the few wicker chairs and tried to breathe normally, tried to swallow back the bile that had risen up her throat and the betrayal that was clogging her chest. That fucking slut, daring to put her filthy claws on her man, and him just sitting there, made her want to be sick. It was already an emotional day for her as it was. She didn't need this shit too.

As though aware of the tempest brewing, Cassie called her cell phone. "Hey Sasha. How's it going?"

Sasha hesitated. "Not great."

In the few weeks of Joe's recovery, Cassie had witnessed her brother's antics, and was personally surprised and impressed that Sasha had endured his crap for this long. "Wanna talk about it?"

Sasha blinked back the impending tears. How could she tell her boyfriend's sister that she was at her wit's end without coming off as a heartless bitch? "I came back from work and found Danielle or Summer Day or whatever the fuck she calls herself groping your brother."

"What? That little tramp!"

"Yeah. Even worse, he did nothing to stop it," Sasha said angrily.

"Ugh. My brother can be an idiot sometimes."

"Yes he can," Sasha agreed.

Cassie could tell how upset the other woman was and felt for her. "I know how you feel, girl. Our dad used to act out when he got injured too. Maybe you should take some time away from Joe. Focus on your kids for a while. I got some free time this week so I'll take him off your hands. It's gonna be okay, honey. Alright?"

Sasha nodded. "Thanks Cass."

"Sasha."

At the sound of his voice, Sasha rolled her eyes. She did not want to talk to him.

"I can hear him so I'll let you go," said Cassie, "Make him grovel."

"Oh I plan to," Sasha replied, ending the call before standing up and walking towards the swimming pool.

"Sasha wait." Gingerly, he shuffled across the deck towards her. "Baby girl-"

"Oh, I'm baby girl again now, huh?" she said bitterly, extending the distance between them. "That what you call your ho too?"

Joe's face fell. "Sasha, please. I didn't know she would try to kiss me."

"Yeah right! That bitch been chasin' your pretty ass since before we met!" she countered. "Has she come over before, when I'm not around? What have you two been doing behind my back?"

"Nothing, I swear!" he vowed. "I know I should've made more effort pushing her away but I've been groggy from my meds all day. But it's no excuse and I'm sorry. I'm not cheating on you. I would never cheat on you. This is just a big misunderstanding."

Again, Sasha didn't answer, but her body language gave her away. Her arms were crossed and she actively refused to look at him. "Baby, talk to me," he pleaded.

Shaking her head, Sasha kept her gaze straight ahead. "I'm tired of this, Joe," she confessed. "We don't go through the day without getting into some stupid argument. I feel like you don't want me around with the way you've been acting this past couple of weeks. Like I'm in the way and I'm not doing anything right. You don't want to open up to me either. Then I see you with…_her_. How do you think that makes me feel?"

Saddened by her statement, Joe blew out a breath and took a cautious step forward, pushing through the pain in his midsection to get to his love. "Listen…I know I've been hard to deal with. It's a frustrating time for me and I've been taking it out on you and I'm sorry. Baby girl, I don't want anyone else but you. You know that. I didn't touch Danielle, but I shouldn't have let her touch me either. Please don't be mad." He came up behind her and rubbed her upper arms. "I'll be a better patient from now on, I promise. Just…don't leave me. I need you."

She looked at him in surprise. "You think I'd leave you?"

"Well…" he muttered, looking away uneasily. "I'm injured and useless and a pain in the ass. I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to."

Sasha stared at her boyfriend. "I thought you'd know by now that I'm not that fickle." Exhaling heavily, she added, "Sure, I've wanted to choke you out a few times but no, I'm not going anywhere. I know how frustrating your injury is and I promised I'd be here for you through all of it. And I will."

At her words, Joe smiled. "I've said it before. I don't deserve you." He met her eyes, a little smirk forming on the corner of his lips. "I do have to say this though. You're so sexy when you're mad."

Sasha rolled her eyes. "Are you being serious right now?"

"Dead serious. The way you looked at her, yelled at her, how you dragged her by her hair not sayin' one word…that was fuckin' hot, baby girl. It kinda turned me on."

"I'm sure that's just the meds talking," she remarked, leaning into him instinctively when he wound an arm around her waist and placed a sweet kiss on her neck. He was relieved to feel her relax against him. "I've been a jerk, _nani_," he whispered. "And I may not have been acting like it lately, but I'm grateful for everything you're doing for me. I love you. Please forgive me."

She met his eyes. The sincerity and tenderness staring back at her washed shivers down her spine. How could she deny that beautiful face anything? "I love you too. All is forgiven. Now quit tryin' to seduce me, you know we can't do anything," she told him firmly, prying off the hand creeping towards her breast before spinning him around and pushing him back into the house. "You shouldn't be on your feet. Go lay down. I'll make dinner soon."

"Please don't make me eat brown rice again," Joe whined.

"Doctor said no white rice yet. You need all the fiber you can get if you want a speedy recovery."

"I get that, but anything but brown rice, please. I swear if I put that shit in my mouth again, I'ma throw up," he complained, back in prima donna mode as he sauntered back to the guest room. Behind his back, Sasha shook her head with a small, resigned sigh. Yeah, it was going to be a long recovery.

* * *

_**Whew! Things were about to get real ugly. Is Danielle a troublemaker or what? Should Joe have done more to ward her off? And there's a baby on the way. :D**_

_**There's a lot to talk about. Hope you let me know your thoughts on all of it. Thank you! :)**_


	37. Chapter 37

_**I went to my first-ever WWE Live show in Paris this past Wednesday and it was awwwwwwesome! Rollins, Cena, AJ, the Big Show etc. were there, and I honestly couldn't believe I was seeing these guys in the flesh. So cool and a lot of fun. :D**_

_**Thank you to all the readers, new followers and favorites. Special thanks to **__Ctinaisfashion, ChelleLew, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, too much drama 1225, nikki1335, Bharm, DeeMarie426, LuxuriaVanitas, IRENELOVE83, Alisi824, benova13, Shield316, Tammy, princessreigns, Olivia Reigns, corbettluv, Brie's Mode, ItReignsJustice-619, justkimmy __**and **__Violet Craine__** for the feedback! Mwah!**_

_**Jasha's relationship takes a big step forward in the wake of Joe's ongoing recovery. Enjoy!**_

* * *

Opening his front door, Joe was greeted with a bouncing Mia, her smile as big as her afro.

"Hi Joe!"

"Hey little lady," he said cheerfully, "Where have you been? Mom's been hiding you away, huh?"

Sasha laughed at the statement as T.K. gave Joe a quick fist bump before sweeping into the living room and making a beeline for the home entertainment system. It was the weekend and the kids insisted on coming to visit, their first since Joe's injury. She watched with raised eyebrows as her daughter and her boyfriend did this little handshake thing, complete with sound effects, that she'd never seen before. "When the hell did you come up with that?"

"A long time ago, Mama," Mia beamed. "It's top secret."

"Yeah, for club members only. And you're not allowed in our little club," Joe winked.

"Oh, I'ma club you right now," Sasha took a playful swing at him, laughing when he ducked and retreated into the kitchen. "Where's your mom at?" she asked Joe, following him. "You said she took you to your appointment."

"She went grocery shopping. She should be back soon. Can't wait to eat white rice again," Joe grinned as he shoved a bag of popcorn into the microwave.

"Oh snap! You got the new Call of Duty, Joe?" T.K. called excitedly from the living room. "It's not supposed to be out until next week!"

"Main roster perks, my man," replied Joe.

"Oh man! Come on. Let's play."

"You sure you can take on me? 'Cuz I'm gonna kick your butt," Joe gloated.

"Yeah right," T.K. scoffed. "Bring it!"

"Be there in five. Prepare to beg for mercy," the Samoan continued to talk smack, smiling at Sasha shaking her head and muttering 'boys'.

"When Mom comes back are you gonna take off again?" Joe gave Sasha a pointed look, rolling his eyes when her expression became uncomfortable. "And they call _me _the baby."

Sasha withdrew a bottle of soda from the fridge and retrieved two glass cups. She looked for her daughter, the little girl circling the pool table in the corner of the room. "Mia! Come take this for you and your brother." She'd asked about Patricia only out of obligation. Joe's recovery process had caused the two women's paths to cross again, and though they were civil, they said very little to each other as their confrontation in Pensacola still hung over both their heads. If either wanted to apologize, neither seemed to want to take the first step.

Joe leaned against the counter, his muscular arms crossed. "You two are going to have to clear the air soon, y'know. This walking on eggshells thing is not cuttin' it."

"We'll figure it out. We women have our way of handling things."

"If you mean being awkward around each other, then yeah, definitely 'your way of handling things'," Joe quipped, tipping the popcorn into a glass bowl before going to the living room to join T.K. The two boys played video games in the living room while Mia watched from the couch behind them.

The front door opened, and Patricia shuffled into the house armed with big bags. "Leati, where are you? I need some help with…" She stopped short at the sight of the new faces in the living room. "Oh. I didn't know you had guests."

Joe smiled and approached his mother. "Hey Mom. Any more stuff in the car?"

"A few. If you could fetch them I'd appreciate it," she said. As Joe went outside, T.K. came over. "Let me help you with those, ma'am," he offered, retrieving the bags from her.

"Why thank you, young man." She smiled graciously at him, and then down at Mia who had also wandered over. "And who might you be?"

Sasha put an arm around T.K. "Patricia, this is my son Tyson and my daughter Mia." She introduced them proudly. "Kids, this is Miss Patricia, Joe's mom."

Another pleasant smile lit up Patricia's face. "Hello. It's very nice to meet you both."

Mia's head tilted to the side. "You're very pretty, Miss Patricia."

Patricia's smile widened, visibly taken aback by the unexpected statement. "You sweet child. You'll make an old woman blush."

Sasha couldn't help but smile proudly. Her little girl always knew how to turn on the charm. If she had her way she would win Patricia over in no time.

Joe returned with the rest of the bags and T.K. helped him take them into the kitchen. As Joe disappeared to retrieve something from his room, Sasha watched his mother sort out the food items on the kitchen countertop. "We'll be gone soon. The kids just wanted to hang out with Joe," she said.

Patricia raised an eyebrow. "What's the hurry?"

"Come again?"

"Do you have somewhere urgent to be?" the older woman asked, and Sasha shook her head. "The kids came to hang out with Joe, yes?" Sasha nodded. "So let them hang out. Stay a while. Besides, I'm making lunch."

Sasha stared at her. "Are you sure?"

Patricia smiled. "Of course. Mia, darling, would you like to help me out?"

"Yes, Miss Patricia!" Mia bounded over to Patricia's side, and Sasha looked on, at a loss for words. Deciding to let them be, she quietly slipped away in search of her boyfriend, overhearing Patricia asking Mia to tell her about herself as she made her way upstairs. She found Joe in his bedroom changing into a cleaner t-shirt. "Your mom's being nice to me. I'm scared," she blurted out, chewing on her lip.

"Isn't that a good thing?" he questioned, snickering at the distrustful expression on his girlfriend's face. "Believe it or not babe, my mom isn't as vindictive as you think she is. Relax."

That remained to be seen, but she kept those thoughts to herself. Walking up to him, she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest, suddenly craving his warmth, his closeness. Joe hugged her back, pursed his lips against her forehead. "You okay, beautiful?"

"I'm fine, handsome," she answered, going quiet for a moment. "You've been a good boy lately. I would say thanks but I think I'd rather _show_ my appreciation." She looked up at him, her gaze loaded.

Joe stared back, his grey eyes brightening. "What do you have in mind?"

She didn't answer, merely giving him a sly smile. Gripping his hand, she stepped backwards into the bathroom, tugging him along with her. Kicking the door shut, she backed him up against it and gave him a sensual, passionate kiss that dazed the Samoan. "Wow…" he breathed. Sasha was already a great kisser but that lip lock just short-circuited his brains.

She placed her finger on his lips. "Shh. No talking. Let me take care of you." Again she kissed him, and Joe moaned into her mouth as she reached down to rub his crotch through his jeans. Her hands fumbled with the button of his jeans until it popped open. Pulling away momentarily, she locked the bathroom door and returned her gaze to her man, biting her lip seductively. There was a conspiratorial expression, a mischievous twinkle in her eye that Joe liked. A lot. He couldn't wait to see what she had up her sleeve.

To Sasha, Joe's bathroom was an absolute dream. Beautiful, modern and spacious, it was almost as big as her entire apartment and provided plenty room to experiment, which they'd done on multiple occasions. Right now though, since they had visitors downstairs and he couldn't have sex yet, she needed the quickest, most satisfying route, and decided to go with a classic.

"Step out of your pants and take a seat, baby," she instructed.

He did as she asked, shutting the toilet seat and sitting on it. She stood between his parted legs and bent at the waist, pressing her mouth to his once again, with Joe running his hands up her thighs and cupping her ass. She smiled at his groan of protest when she pulled her lips from his, the hitch of his breath and darkened irises when she sank slowly to her knees in front of him. Lifting his shirt, her eyes fell upon the horizontal incision just above his most private area, the scar from his recent surgery. She placed a small kiss upon it before moving on to the erection resting on his stomach. Spreading his thighs further apart, she dipped her head to flick her tongue over the tip of his dick, dragging a lustful hiss from his lips. She kept at it, her tongue warm and teasing, the act made only more maddening when she refused to touch him. It was torture, pure torture for Joe, and he nearly wept with joy when she finally grasped him and took him into the warm confines of her mouth. Tangling his fingers in her hair, he leaned further back, eyes fixated on his girlfriend as she sucked his dick. Gripping him in her fist, she tilted her head and licked him over and over, like a Popsicle, leaving wet trails of saliva along the swollen length.

"Shit baby, that feels fuckin' amazing," he grunted, gripping her hair tightly, watching her lips proceed to pull and slide along his erection. Her eyes were on him, and she made little sounds, like she was pleased to be pleasing him. Swearing softly, Joe closed his eyes again. He couldn't see her _and _feel her, it was too much. His mind was empty save for the feel of her hot mouth bobbing on his dick, the slick slide of her saliva over his flesh, her hand stroking him from base to head. He wanted it to never end even though he was seconds away from exploding. When she took him in deep, then pulled back and sucked hard, what few coherent thoughts he had left were replaced by electric currents jolting his entire body. "Fuck!" he bellowed, his eyes rolling in the back of his head. "Oh my god…"

He was getting closer, she could tell. He grew harder in her grip and his breaths were shallow and erratic. Staring up at his handsome features, twisted in painful pleasure, she brushed her lips over the head of his dick, her hand twisting the rest of his length repeatedly. "Come on Leati," she purred, running her free hand over his thigh. "Bring it home, handsome. Come for me."

Rendered speechless, Joe's head fell back again, his breathing speeding up as the sensation in his belly intensified. Another suction of her mouth and a gentle squeeze of his tightened balls set him off. The sound he made as his hot seed gushed forth came from the deepest trenches of his being, expelled in the most powerful sensation he'd ever experienced. Vaguely, he heard Sasha's moan, felt the continuous tugging on his length as she swallowed every last drop of him. Joe stared up dazedly at the ceiling, breathing hard, his big frame slack and helpless as he recovered from the intense orgasm. "Fuck, baby girl...wow."

Sasha finished up with a self-satisfied grin, ensuring she licked him clean. As he caught his breath, Joe looked down at her, his vision still hazy. Sasha started to stand up, but was stopped when he grabbed her hand, tugged her astride his lap and kissed her long and profoundly. "I needed that. Thanks."

"Anything for you, baby," Sasha answered before getting back up and smoothing her hair back into place. "Now come on, before someone starts wondering where we are."

Together they descended down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Patricia was pulling out a long dish from the oven. "Nice to see you two finally join us," she spoke, shooting them both a knowing glance. Sasha hid her face in shame against Joe's back, discreetly smacking his arm when he chuckled.

Lunch was delicious, a beef casserole that made Sasha consider shelving her pride and asking Patricia for the recipe. The kids politely thanked Patricia for the meal and helped her clean up before returning to the living room with Joe, leaving the mothers at the kitchen. Sasha followed the older woman's gaze, set on the three figures in the living room. "You have beautiful children," Patricia spoke softly. "So well-mannered and polite. Mia is a precious little angel."

Sasha cleared her throat. "Thank you."

Uncomfortable silence fell between the two women, both staring awkwardly at the other. Then, with a deep sigh, Joe's mother broke the ice. "I should have apologized to you sooner, Sasha. I said some caustic things."

As much as she didn't want to admit it, that day still hit a raw nerve. "You were being protective of your son. I understand."

"I could have made my point without being rude," said Patricia, "I had no right to pass judgment and you had every right to be angry with me."

Sasha shrugged. "I'm getting used to it. Time and again I've been made to feel like I should apologize for not being rich and for having kids out of wedlock, and now for being older than your son. People have tried to make me feel bad for as long as I can remember. But I won't apologize because I've done nothing wrong. I know who I am and what I stand for. I know how hard I work and I've never needed anyone to provide for me, and Joe knows that too."

"I know he does." Patricia paused, staring thoughtfully at the younger woman. Admittedly, she admired her fire and confidence, how she never let anyone disrespect her. Those qualities were rare among women of today, sadly. "I've watched you with him this injury period. You two remind me of me and his father whenever he was out of action. He would throw tantrums and be rude and obnoxious, but I'd suck it up. Because he needed me and honestly, I was simply head over heels in love with that man." She chuckled quietly as she reminisced. "I know Leati's the same. I'll be honest with you, I'm surprised you kept coming back. Dealing with a wrestler is never easy, injured and otherwise."

Sasha tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "He needed me."

"That, and you're head over heels in love with him. Otherwise you wouldn't have stayed." Patricia's smile was gentle as she held her counterpart's gaze. It wasn't a forceful statement, and the soft acceptance with which it was spoken caused Sasha's eyes to water. Was she finally convinced of her feelings for her son?

"And he loves you too," she continued. "Women have come and gone from his life but he has never looked at any of them the way he looks at you. His father still looks at me the same way, even after all these years. Leati was miserable when you two separated. That was when I knew it was for real. He's never fussed over a woman like that. And no woman has treated him the way you have. You don't see him as a god or a trophy or a meal ticket."

She glanced over at her boyfriend, still trash-talking to T.K. as they duked it out on the Xbox. "That's because he's not a god or a trophy or a meal ticket. He's a man. A good, kind-hearted, respectful man that loves his job and loves his family. And that's why I love him, Patricia. I love him so much and I would move mountains for him."

"I know that now, dear." Patricia smiled, putting her hand over Sasha's. "An old woman like me will always worry. I want to say it's not personal but we both know when it comes to family it will always be personal. All I want is for my boys and girls to be happy. Being with you makes my son happy and I accept that."

Sasha was beaming, tempted to give the woman a hug. "Thank you Patricia. Your words mean so much to me."

From the comfort of his recliner Joe looked on, a plethora of emotions stirring within him. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but to see the women he loved smiling and seemingly putting what bad blood they had behind them was a great comfort and relief. Maybe now he could move forward with his plans.

* * *

The news Joe had been awaiting for the past two months finally came. He could work out again. He couldn't return to action just yet, but it was a huge boost for him; at last he could properly kick start the process of returning to the ring. He couldn't wait to get started, and there was a particularly enjoyable workout routine that he wanted to begin with.

"So what do you want to do today?" Sasha asked as the two entered his house, having accompanied him to his appointment. He'd been grinning from ear to ear ever since they left the Doctor's, and she figured he was just happy about the progress he'd made with his rehab. He deserved it. He had worked very hard to get better.

Taking her hand, he started to pull her towards the stairs. "Nothing, other than make love to you for the rest of the day," he said.

Her eyes went wide as she let him lead her up the stairs. "Are you allowed?"

"I talked to the Doctor before we left and he gave me the all-clear."

"Oh. That's good. You must be very glad about that."

"I am," he agreed, a look of longing in his gaze. "I'd love to keep chattin', baby girl, but it's been a long couple of weeks. I'm not going to be fit for normal conversation until after I'm buried deep inside you." There really was no sense in beating around the bush.

"Oh." She blinked, clearly bewildered, but he could also see how her eyes had darkened and her nipples had hardened through her thin blouse. She wanted him too. "I guess you should get on with it then."

"Thanks," he said with a small smile as they reached the top of the stairs. He walked into his bedroom and turned to face his woman. She was giving him a flirty toss of her hair, gazing up at him from beneath her luscious eyelashes. Sexual tension oozed between the couple. Standing in the middle of the room, Joe drew her body flush against his. He teased her with soft pecks on her cheek and jaw before sealing her mouth in a kiss that coaxed a sigh out of her. Gradually, hands started to roam, pushing and pulling and tugging, ridding the other of their clothes until they stood naked in front of each other. With one hand on her face, his other fingers skimmed up and down her spine, teasing her mouth with touches of his tongue and causing more tremors to flutter through her body. As the kiss intensified, he lifted her in his arms and her legs instantly went around his waist, her fingers tunneling in his hair as he carried her to the bed. Quickly strapping on a condom, he covered her body with his, settling between her thighs. He ran his right hand up her left arm and linked their fingers, resting them next to her head. Sasha planted the bottom of her foot on his leg, rubbing it up and down his calf as she thrummed the fingertips of her free hand along his back.

"You are so beautiful," Joe murmured against her lips, the smooth baritone of his voice never failing to kindle a fire in Sasha's soul.

"You make me feel beautiful," she whispered back. Uttering a low groan of appreciation, Joe deposited small kisses along her throat down to her breasts, swiping his tongue over one nipple before scooping the hard bud into his mouth. "Man, I've missed your tits," he said, molding the other full, fleshy mound in his palm. "_My_ tits," he corrected, ash-colored eyes flicking to hers as he suckled her breast.

Sasha's body was about to explode. "Baby please…I need you," she rasped.

He could never deny his lady a request. His mouth left her nipple with an audible pop, having had his fill of her succulent bosom – for now. He kissed her again and sucked her bottom lip, moaning when her tongue slid between his lips. Sasha felt his hand on her lower back lifting her hips off the bed, and gasped as he invaded her pussy, one delightful inch at a time, until he was buried as far as he could go. "Oh, yes." It had been way too long. He cradled her head in his muscular arms, his massive body cocooning hers, then started to move in and out of her, kissing her the whole time. She caressed his back and shoulders and hitched her legs higher up around his body. He moved tortuously slowly, whispering how much he loved her, how good it felt to be inside her again. His hips arched forwards and back, finding her most sensitive spot with long, gliding strokes, and Sasha's gasps morphed into moans as sparks began to fly through her. Her dark eyes fluttering shut, she surrendered to sensation, to his kiss, the amazing rhythm of their joined bodies sliding together in a familiar dance that only got better with time.

Joe just about stopped breathing. Damn it, she was tight and wet and it felt so good _every single time_. Her body was wrapped around his, and the impassioned look in her eyes, reflecting the love and desire he felt for her, took him to another level. Unable to stop himself, he forgot about slow, about finesse, about coaxing her to her orgasm, and took her hard with urgent, desperate thrusts. Sasha's fingers sank into his pumping hips, her face tucked in his neck as she voiced her pleasure. A sharp groan left Joe's lips at the feel of her warm tongue sweeping the hollow of his neck. Closing his hand over her ribcage, he pounded into her, seeking out his release, his breaths staccato and the big bed bouncing from the force of his rabid movements. Over the sound of the blood roaring in his ears he could make out Sasha's voice, wild with ecstasy, and just when he thought he couldn't hold out for much longer she came with a cry, her fingernails scoring his shoulder blades. He followed suit moments later with one final hard thrust, exploding in an orgasm that had him forgetting his own name. It was amazing. He could honestly say that nothing, no Superman punch or triple power-bomb ever felt as good as the moment when he pulsed inside Sasha, his whole body tense and his brain empty of anything but the way it felt to be buried deep inside her, with her kiss-swollen lips parted in a sigh, her eyes filled with sensual triumph and satisfaction.

After their breathing and bodies had calmed, Joe gathered Sasha in his strong arms, accepting the kiss she offered him. "Sorry, got a little rough there at the end," he said bashfully.

She giggled as she searched his face. "That was great. How do you feel? You alright?" she asked.

"Hell yeah. I'm a tad rusty but with a little practice I'll be back to a hundred percent in no time." He winked at her, making her laugh.

"If that was rusty then Lord help me," she groaned, and he laughed with her before they kissed again, languidly, basking in their contentment. With one more kiss, Joe eased out of her, rolled out of bed and strolled into his bathroom, Sasha staring at his fine derriere the whole time. She stretched lazily on the bed, finding herself to be a bit sore, but she didn't mind one bit. It was great to have sex again.

He returned to the room and climbed back into bed, his arms winding around Sasha, and she immediately sank into his embrace. Tracing her fingers along his arm, she eyed him, noticing how intently he was watching her all of a sudden. "What?"

"What are you doing this weekend?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Nothing special. Why?"

"Come to Pensacola with me."

A couple of seconds ticked by. "What's the occasion?"

"It's my parents' fortieth wedding anniversary and they're throwing a big party. Mom asked if you could come."

"She did?" Sasha said, surprised.

"Uh-huh. We get there Thursday evening, the party is Friday night, and we'll have the rest of the weekend to ourselves." He took in her skeptical expression and willed himself not to fidget as there was every possibility that she could say no. "It's a getaway, _nani_, a break from all the rehabbing and me stressing you out. I know you don't have fond memories from the last time we were there but I want to change that. It's gonna be just us. No work, no rehab, no drama, nothing."

Her hair fell to the front of her face, and she tucked it back impatiently. "I'll have to check how many vacation days I got left. I am gunning for the Assistant Manager position on a permanent basis, you know."

"I know. But don't sweat it." His eyes were half-shut and he was in a state of complete relaxation. "Reg knows how hard you work. You'll get the job."

Sasha laughed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," she replied, snuggling against him. "So the party…is it a formal event? Does one need to wear anything special?"

"Don't worry about what you're going to wear," said Joe. "I'll take care of it."

She stared quizzically at him. "Sounds like you've got everything planned already."

"Let's just say I'm brimming with confidence right now." He ran his hand down her hip in a further attempt to persuade her. "So how about it, Sash? Will you come?"

He stared at her with a hope and nervousness in his grey eyes that she thought was adorable. Caressing his long hair with a warm smile, she said, "Yes baby. I would love to go to Pensacola with you."

Joe grinned widely. Well hot damn, it was confirmed. They were going to be together for three or four nights, with no intrusion or interruptions. The thought was almost enough to give him another erection. "We're gonna have a great time, baby girl. You'll see," he promised.

"I can't wait to see what you got planned." She leaned in and brushed his lips with hers once, twice. "More importantly, I can't wait to be alone with you."

The grin on his face had to be surgically removed. "Me too."


	38. Chapter 38

_**Thank you to all the new follows and favorites. A big thank you to **__ChelleLew, too much drama 1225, Alisi824, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, ItsGbruhh, nikki1335,corbettluv, Bharm, Guest, Shield316, IRENELOVE83, Tammy, DeeMarie426, ItReignsJustice-619, justkimmy, benova13, Brie's Mode, Olivia Reigns __**and **__princessreigns__** for all your feedback. I smile every time I read what you have to say. Very much appreciated. :)**_

* * *

The week flew by and on Thursday Joe and Sasha were on a plane to Pensacola. Flying first class for that matter. Sika was in a giving mood and paid for it all, and Sasha thought it was very generous of him. The couple arrived at Joe's beach house late in the evening, and tired and jetlagged from the long trip, they went straight to the master bedroom and stumbled into bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

Sasha woke to the sound of water running and Joe missing from the bed. Reaching for the shirt he wore the day before, she put it on and headed to the bathroom, where he stood in front of the mirror inspecting his reflection. "Hey."

He smiled at her through the mirror. "Morning, baby girl. Sleep well?"

"Very." She leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed, eyes scanning the beige-colored bathroom. It was much bigger than the one she'd already seen in the guest room, with double sinks, a shower and a Jacuzzi tub. There was a window from which one could see the stunning ocean vistas. "What are you up to?" she asked.

"Not much. I went grocery shopping this morning so there's food in the house now. I took out your toiletries for you," Joe said, as she joined him at the sink and picked up her toothbrush to brush her teeth. He rubbed his bearded jaw and picked up a razor. "I totally need a shave. I'll be looking like Rollins soon enough."

Sasha rinsed out her mouth and put her toothbrush away. "Let me do it," she offered.

Joe looked at her. "Shave me?" She nodded. "Uh, do you know how?"

"I shave my legs," she shrugged. She'd groomed a couple of her boyfriends in the past as well, but that part was better left unsaid.

"Um, legs and a beard are two different things," he countered.

"Not really. Sit." She pointed at the wooden stool in the bathroom. Reluctantly, he sat down while she took the razor from him and stood between his legs. "Sweetie, relax. I won't hurt you. Much," she added with a wicked grin.

_"Much?_ Sasha! I'd rather not be slashed open on the night of my parents' party."

She burst out laughing at that. "For Pete's sake, relax. I got this." She wet a washcloth with warm water and gently wet his bearded area, waiting for a while before lathering his face with shaving cream. She could feel Joe's grey gaze on her, watching her warily. "Bend your head back," she instructed, smiling as Joe closed his eyes and shook his head before obeying.

Sliding her hand into his hair to hold him still, her expression was one of utmost concentration as she very gently began stroking the razor up from his neck to his chin, revealing a patch of smooth skin beneath the lather. She ran the razor up his neck again, widening the patch. Joe cautiously opened one eye when she turned to rinse the razor in the sink. "Cut me yet?" he queried.

"Shut up," Sasha snapped. Joe snickered in response but said nothing further, letting her carry on. There was something seriously sexy about letting her groom him. But then again, he thought nearly everything she did was sexy. She'd done his hair many times but never the one on his face until now. This was more intimate, with their faces inches from each other, allowing him to study her beautiful features as she shaved him. Feeling rascally, his hands glided up her thigh under the oversized shirt she was wearing, his fingers absorbing the softness of her skin. Just as he neared the juncture between her legs, Sasha abruptly tapped the side of the razor on his nose. "Don't do that," she warned, "Not unless you want me to cut up your pretty face."

Joe smiled mischievously and raised his hands in surrender, and Sasha was allowed to finish her work in peace, sculpting his goatee the best way she could. She wet the washcloth with warm water to rinse his face, then dried his face with a towel. "Done, and not a drop of blood spilled," she said proudly.

He turned to look in the mirror. "Not bad, Morgan."

"Told ya," she said proudly, watching him admire her handiwork in the mirror. Her eyes flickered over his gorgeous body, his broad back, his waist narrowing into the towel that covered his delectable derriere. He was so handsome it made her head spin sometimes.

It was several seconds before he realized she was staring at him. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing." Sasha licked her lips, eyeing him again. She came up behind him, rubbing her small hands along the front of his body, grinning inwardly when his ab muscles twitched beneath her touch. Meeting his heated gaze through the mirror, her voice was husky, seductive. "It's just…the sight of you makes me wet."

Joe's amused expression instantly became serious, and he swallowed hard as his grey eyes dilated. It was always a thrill for Sasha, watching his control slip, anticipating what he was going to do to her.

He turned from the mirror and dragged her to him, sliding his hands back under her shirt to cup her backside. "I'm gonna need proof of that," he told her in an equally throaty, heated voice. Before he could carry out his little investigation, however, his phone rang, with Sika's picture popping up on the screen. Unimpressed by the interruption, he sighed before picking up. "Hey Pops."

Patting his back, Sasha slipped away to give him privacy, walking down the hallway and into the living room area. She liked that everything was on one floor and she didn't have to do any climbing. The front door was open, letting in the warm outdoor breeze. She stepped out onto the patio, taking in the spectacular view of the beach. Joe obviously had a thing for picturesque scenery and she did not blame him. This was a far cry from the decrepit concrete and crackled-plaster combination that made up the environs of her apartment complex. She definitely did not mind giving that up for a place like this someday.

Joe wandered out onto the patio a few minutes later, covered up in a t-shirt and faded jeans. "Where'd you run off to?" he asked.

"I was looking around while you were on the phone. Everything okay?"

"You're here, so everything's great." He walked over to her and laid his lips on hers in that loving, tender manner that always filled her stomach with butterflies. "Mm. Minty fresh," he said against her mouth, laughing when she playfully slapped his chest. Kissing her forehead, he walked back inside. "What would you like for breakfast?"

"What you got in mind?"

"Eggs. Bacon. Pancakes. Whatever you want."

Sasha nodded. "Let's see what we can get done."

They made breakfast together, with Sasha dancing around the kitchen to the music playing from Joe's iPod, giving him a glimpse of where Mia inherited her talent from. In turn Sasha was treated to Joe's very impressive delivery of Dr. Dre and Eminem's 'Forgot About Dre'. All shenanigans aside, they managed to prepare a nice spread, consisting of French toast, bacon, croissants, blueberry pancakes and fruit, along with freshly squeezed orange juice and their favorite coffee blend.

"I like that there's not much furniture in the house," Sasha said between bites of her French toast as they sat side by side at the kitchen island. "It's just the bare essentials but it's cool. Gives the house a more open layout than it already is."

The Samoan picked up a croissant. "I prefer it this way. I'm not here often so there's no point having so much stuff. The first time Matt showed me this place I literally snatched the keys and paid whatever it cost. It was perfect. I'd just got out of the shit with Andrea and I needed somewhere to clear my head. I love beaches and I still wish I lived right next to one in Tampa."

Sasha took a sip of her orange juice. "You said I'm the first person you've ever brought here?" Joe nodded, and she smiled softly. "I'm honored. I love that you trust me enough to share such a private piece of your life with me."

"I do trust you, baby girl. And I hope to share more with you in the future," he replied, his eyes tender as they searched hers expectantly.

Sasha smiled, aware that she felt the same. "Me too." She leaned towards him to brush her lips with his, feeling his smile as they kissed. She pulled back to pop a piece of bacon into his mouth. "So what time are we meant to be at the party?"

"Seven-thirty. Cassie planned everything. I don't know how she does it. I'm shit at planning stuff."

"Well, she is an event planner. That's kinda what she does," Sasha said. Nodding in agreement, Joe gave his girlfriend a long look. "I hope you'll like the things I got for you tonight," he said.

Sasha raised an eyebrow. "Things? I thought it was only a dress. What else did you get?"

He smiled and winked. "You're gonna have to wait and see," he said cryptically. "I'll show you around the rest of the house later. We didn't get to do that last time."

"Cool."

The rest of breakfast was spent in companionable silence. They spent half an hour cleaning up afterwards, and things would probably have progressed faster had they not been too busy touching, kissing and stealing glances at each other the whole time. Later on in the day, they took a stroll outside, walking around their secluded compound and down to the beach. Afterwards, Sasha lounged on the patio in a super-comfortable wicker chair, sipping a fruity cocktail while Joe was on a conference call going over the night's activities with his sisters.

"So are you going to reveal your little secret now? What did you get me?" Sasha asked when they were in the bedroom. The sun was setting and it was time to get ready for the evening.

He cast her his trademark half-smile as he walked towards his sizeable wardrobe, very much like his one back in Tampa. Her eyes widened as he started bringing out a number of boxes and shopping bags, setting some on the floor and others on the bed. "I had them all delivered here over the week. I wasn't exactly sure about what you'd want so I thought I'd let you decide," he explained.

She stepped closer to the bed with wide eyes. There had to be at least ten boxes and shopping bags in total. The two biggest boxes, which were wrapped in single bows, were probably dresses. Another was a big silver and black case with M.A.C. printed on the side. Pam had one of those. It was filled with every makeup item imaginable and in every shade imaginable. Another bag contained body wash, mist and lotion from Bath &amp; Body Works. Her eyes fell upon the three boxes on the floor, and she felt faint. "Oh my god, are those…" she trailed off, recognizing the beige shoe boxes with the famous cursive lettering of Christian Louboutin. A pair cost twice the amount of her monthly rent at least, and here were three of them. Overwhelmed, she turned to Joe, who stood by calmly watching her reaction. "It's just one night, Joe. Why get all this expensive stuff only for you to have to return them tomorrow?"

Joe smiled. "Who said anything about returning? You're keeping everything."

_What?!_ "Everything?" she choked out.

He nodded. "All of it. It's all yours."

Stunned and fighting the urge to cry, Sasha shook her head. "Baby, I…" she stammered, looking around in amazement. Sure, he'd got her gifts over the course of their relationship but this was overload. "This is too much."

He flashed her another sweet, warm smile. "For you beautiful, nothing is ever too much."

"You don't have to spoil me, Joe. You didn't have to do all of this."

"Sasha, I'm your boyfriend. Boyfriends spoil their girlfriends, that's what we're supposed to do. But more importantly, I _want_ to spoil you." Walking up to her, he gently tipped her chin up to meet his eyes. "Baby girl, if we really want this thing between us to work," he gestured between them, "you're gonna have to deal with the fact that I like buying you nice things. I like spending my money on you and I wouldn't have it any other way. Alright? Is that okay?" He locked gazes with her, awaiting her answer.

"Okay." She didn't know what else to say.

"Good. Now why don't you check out the other stuff?"

She continued to peruse the gifts one after the other; perfume, hair appliances, accessories. There was even lingerie, from Agent Provocateur of all places. She picked up the lace bra and checked the label. "Hmm, you got the right size," she smiled at him.

Joe smirked. "I've been taking off your clothes for months now. I think I'd have an idea what sizes you are."

"True," she conceded with a giggle, glancing around at the spread on the bed and exhaling heavily. This was generous and then some.

Joe draped his arms around her waist and kissed her hair. "We better start getting ready. I know you ladies need all the space you can get so I'll get dressed in the guest room. Come find me if you need anything."

"Okay," she smiled and nodded, and Joe gave her a kiss before he exited the room. Sasha turned back around, looking at all the items on the bed. She started with one of the boxes containing the dress, a gasp leaving her when she opened it and gently held up the garment. It was a floor-length, one-shoulder mermaid gown in ruby red, the traditional color of the fortieth wedding anniversary. It had a partial sweetheart neckline and a beautiful embroidered design on the right bust. The second dress was a flowing strapless coral silk gown. They were both stunning, and the backs were not too revealing, meaning she could wear a strapless bra. She couldn't begin to imagine how much the dresses cost and she tried not to think about it. She tended to the shoes on the floor. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine owning one pair of Louboutins, let alone three. She opened each of the boxes and inspected the shoes. All three were high enough to guarantee that she at least reached Joe's shoulder height-wise. They were all beautiful but she couldn't keep her eyes off the silver strappy sandals, which she thought went perfectly with the red dress she preferred. There were even clutch bags to go with each outfit. Her man had thought of everything.

An hour went by as she shaved, showered, did her hair and makeup and got dressed. She was checking her updo in the mirror when there was a knock on the door and Joe entered. She turned to face him and he halted in his tracks, speechless. Damn. Red was his favorite color on her but this was on another level. From the form-fitting gown which accentuated her voluptuous, hourglass figure, to her red lipstick, she looked unbelievable. "Sasha…you're breathtaking," he stated finally, regaining his ability to speak.

She smoothed down her dress and grinned. "Thank you, baby. You look so handsome." More than handsome. He looked sinfully fantastic in in his tailored black suit and black shirt with a red tie that matched her gown. His jet-black hair was slicked back nicely and gathered into a bun at the nape of his neck, and all she wanted to do was dig her fingers in and disrupt all that neatness and order, preferably with him on his back. It was going to be a tough task to not openly gawk at him all night. Noticing the item in his hands, she said, "What's that?"

"Something to complete your outfit with," he said simply, presenting her with an aqua-colored box tied in a white bow. Sasha went numb when she saw the name on the box. Tiffany &amp; Co. _Wow._

He extended the box to her. "Open it, baby."

She was almost afraid to, but not wanting to hurt his feelings, she pulled the ribbon off the box and found a note underneath.

_These reminded me of you, Nani. Precious and simply beautiful._

Sasha smiled at Joe and saw his shoulders relax at the gesture. She lifted the lid off the box and gasped.

Nestled in Tiffany blue satin was a white diamond and pearl necklace with a teardrop diamond pendant. Lying in the middle of the necklace was a pair of matching diamond earrings. The stones sparkled and the pearls had an iridescent glow that reflected in the light. With wide eyes, Sasha lifted the necklace out of the box. It was smooth and cool to the touch. They took Sasha's breath away. "Baby, they're fabulous."

"Put on the earrings. I'll help you with the necklace." He came to stand behind her, taking the necklace from her and unclasping it. He draped it around her neck, and her fingers touched the pendant as it lay on her collarbone. Turning her around to face the mirror, he raked his gaze over her and ran his fingertip under her necklace against her skin. Sasha stared back at her reflection, feeling very much like a Princess on her way to the Ball.

Joe rested his chin on her shoulder and placed his hands on her waist, his gaze meeting hers in the mirror. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he whispered.

She smiled shyly at him, her eyes soft and loving. "Thank you. You clean up pretty well yourself, handsome."

Gently kissing her cheek, Joe straightened and checked his tie in the mirror. "Ready to go?" he said.

Checking that she had her clutch bag, she nodded. "So we're going in the rental?"

"Nope," said Joe. "There's a limo waiting outside for us."

"A limo," Sasha repeated.

"Mm-hmm." He eyed her, amused by the frown on her face. "Or would you rather we walked to the venue?"

At the sarcastic statement, she cut her eyes sharply to him, making him laugh. "The limo it is," he surmised.

Ensuring the lights in the house were switched off, the couple exited, Sasha's hand tucked in the crook of Joe's elbow. Sure enough, a black stretch limousine sat outside the house. The driver was outside waiting, and he opened the back door for them. Joe helped Sasha inside first before following behind her. She settled in the plush leather seating, skimming over the interior of the limousine with bemused eyes.

Joe turned to her, seeing the look of bewilderment on her face. He weaved his fingers through hers, kissing the back of her hand and looking into her eyes. "I know you're not used to things like this, Sash. But I want you to be," he said. "You're my girl, my queen, and I plan to keep treating you as such."

His queen. It still astonished her how into her he was, just like she was into him. She rested her head on his shoulder, feeling his arm wind around her hip and his other fingers link through the ones she placed on his chest. As he kissed her temple, Sasha shut her eyes and tried to convince herself that she wasn't dreaming.

* * *

The anniversary party was being held at a country club that Joe's family belonged to. It was the biggest ballroom Sasha had ever seen, decorated beautifully with themes of red and white and colorful flower centerpieces, twinkling lights and candles. A red guestbook branded with Sika and Patricia's name sat at the entrance for everyone to sign in. Up to a hundred guests of relatives and friends were scheduled to appear and it looked like most of them were already here. A live band was stationed at a visible corner tuning up.

"This is amazing," Sasha gushed, looking around. "Cassie definitely did a great job."

Joe smiled widely. "She did. Come on, let me introduce you to some people." He snatched up two glasses of champagne from a waiter and handed one to her as they began mingling about the vast room. They met uncles, aunts, cousins, friends, acquaintances and strangers. They were polite to Sasha, but their focus was firmly on Joe. The big TV star, the newest shining diamond in the Anoa'i family. Sasha stood quietly next to him, watching them all fuss over him. They asked about his injury and his recovery, some speaking Hawaiian or Samoan, and he answered every question, more graciously with the older guests, and less formal with his age peers. The room was quickly filling with people, and Joe stayed close to Sasha's side, his hand resting protectively on her lower back as he showed her off to everyone.

Of course, her handsome, famous boyfriend caught the eye of several ladies. Their looks lingered for too long and their gazes bored into the couple's backs as they mingled. There was one in particular that fawned over Joe a little too much for Sasha's taste. She tossed her head back and laughed too loudly, leaned too closely and kept her hand on Joe's bicep. She was striking, tanned and toned with long black hair down to her waist and her red and white dress hugged her outstanding figure. It was obvious Joe knew her but it didn't make Sasha any less piqued. Excusing herself from a lady she was talking with, she sidled over to Joe, who smiled brightly as she approached. "Hey," she said, noting how the girl's flirtatious smile instantly converted to a scowl as she eyed Sasha rudely.

"Hey babe. I was about to come pry you away from Aunt Miriam. She can be quite chatty," Joe said with a laugh.

"She was alright," said Sasha, casting a pointed gaze on the stranger. Putting a hand on Sasha's waist, Joe gestured to the girl. "Sasha, meet Chrissy. Chrissy, this is my girlfriend Sasha. Chrissy and I went to high school together."

"We dated, actually," Chrissy announced proudly.

It wasn't lost on Sasha how eager the girl was to make that little tidbit known. "Oh, how nice."

With a tight, dismissive smile at Sasha, Chrissy refocused on Joe. The other woman could have been air for all she cared. "Come Joey, let's take a picture," she said, holding up her camera.

"Okay. But only for you though," said Joe.

"I could take it for you if you want," Sasha offered.

A derisive smirk formed on the younger woman's face. "Are you sure? I mean, the camera's a little hi-tech," she said.

"I'm sure I can handle a Canon 700D, darling," Sasha said, the statement taking Chrissy aback. The floozy probably didn't even know the name of her own camera.

Chrissy forced a smile and thrust the camera into Sasha's hands, causing her to almost drop it. Joe put his arm around Chrissy for the photo, and Sasha noticed how she placed her hand over his, making the pose more intimate than it should have been. When she was done, Chrissy took the camera from her, uttering one of the most insincere 'thank you's that Sasha had ever heard. "How long are you in town for?" Chrissy asked Joe. "We should get together. Catch up." She batted her fake eyelashes, and Sasha wanted to shove them right into her eyeballs.

Joe's smile was apologetic. "Sorry, Chris. I'm only here for the weekend, and I plan on spending it with my girl," he replied, holding Sasha closer to him and smiling down at her. The mother of two kept her expression calm but inwardly she was doing cartwheels and snapping her fingers in the girl's face.

Clearing her throat, Chrissy flashed another false smile. "Well then…it was great to see you again, Joey. Don't be a stranger, huh?" Eyeing Sasha up and down, she said, "Nice to meet you…_Ma'am_." Without another word, she sauntered away.

Ignoring the jab, Sasha shook her head at the retreating girl and raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend. "Joey, huh?" she smirked.

Joe cringed. "I am _really_ sorry about that."

"Chrissy and Joey," Sasha sang.

"Oh god, stop. I hate being called Joey. Always have, but I guess she never got the memo."

"She seems interesting, I'll give you that." That was the most polite adjective she could find.

"Yeah…she was a handful even back then but I'd rather not delve into that," he said. "I'm interested in only one woman now."

Her lip turned up on one side. "Really? Enlighten me."

"Just this sassy, hot as fuck bar manager that I'm head over heels in love with." He grinned. "She's got the prettiest smile, the softest skin and the sexiest ass I've ever seen. Total MILF."

"Hmm. Does she know you feel this way about her?"

"She does. And it turns out she's in love with me too." Handing her a fresh glass of champagne, he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "You look so gorgeous tonight, baby girl. I can't take my eyes off of you." His smile was possessive and loving and she warmed at his words. He really was suave and smooth, wasn't he?

"Ladies and gentlemen, please find your seats," the live band leader announced over the microphone. "The guests of honor will be arriving shortly."

Joe and Sasha were seated at the head table with his parents, his siblings and their spouses. She politely greeted the spouses before giving each of the siblings a warm hug. "Cassie, this is an amazing party. You did a great job."

"Thanks Sasha. Come on, come sit down before my parents show up," she said, and Joe guided Sasha to her seat between him and Cassie.

The ballroom door swung open, and the couple of the hour walked into the hall to thunderous applause. Sika stopped midway to dip Patricia down low and kiss her tenderly to more applause. Patricia blushed furiously. Sasha couldn't stop smiling. Patricia was wearing a beautiful red evening dress and Sika was in a black suit and red tie. They looked young and happy and still very much in love. As they made their way through the crowd to their table, they stopped to shake hands and give hugs to other guests. Sasha turned to Joe and grinned up at him.

"They look so happy. I'm happy for them."

"Me too," said Joe, as his parents came over. Patricia hugged Sasha tightly on her way to her seat. "I'm so glad you could come, Sasha."

"I'm very happy to be here, Patricia. Happy anniversary. You look beautiful."

"Thank you." They exchanged kisses on the cheek before Patricia enfolded Joe into a hug.

Sika swept Sasha up in his gigantic arms, all smiles. "Hello, dear. Glad you could make it."

"Happy anniversary." Sasha swallowed. Their last meeting hadn't ended pleasantly. "Sika, I-"

He shushed her gently. "It's all good, sweetheart. No harm no foul. We're celebrating tonight."

As everyone settled down, Sika stood up, tapped his water glass with his spoon and the room hushed. A microphone was handed to him. "I want to thank you all for coming tonight, and extend a special thank you to my lovely daughter, Cassandra, for making all of this happen," he spoke, his deep voice reverberating around the quiet room. "Folks, if you want a party or an event organized, call her up. As you can see, it will be money well spent."

Laughter and applause rippled around the room at the plug. Sika smiled down at Patricia and she blushed prettily. "I am so blessed. I have had the honor and privilege of spending every day with the most incredible person I've ever met for forty years. We've known each other for even longer and I wouldn't change a single moment of it. Patty, _la'u pele_…you are my best friend, the love of my life. I'd say 'I do' a thousand times over. Thank you for putting up with my crazy self, for our four beautiful children, and for teaching me how to make _oka_ properly."

Everyone laughed again, and Patricia wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and grinned at her husband. Joe held onto Sasha's hand, his eyes fixed on his parents.

"Happy anniversary, baby. Here's to another forty years." Patricia stood amongst the applause and Sika kissed her soundly.

Dinner was served a few minutes later. As the guests ate, a video package rolled of the couple's life together for the past forty years. Joe and his siblings made several appearances in the video in varying ages, including four-year-old Alma and two-year-old Matt as ring bearers on their parents' wedding day. A few loved ones who couldn't make it to the celebration sent in videos congratulating the couple. The Fatu twins, Jon and Josh were among them as well as the one and only Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, to the guests' delight. Patricia was dabbing her eyes with a napkin and Sasha felt the urge to join her. It was really beautiful and emotional.

The band began to play 'Endless Love' by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross, and Sika got to his feet. "I believe this is our song, beautiful," Sasha heard him say to Patricia. He took her hand and everyone watched as he moved her effortlessly across the dance floor. They came together, gazing at each other as though they were the only two people in the room.

"Your parents are so in love," Sasha murmured to Joe.

"Yeah, it's kinda gross sometimes." He shook his head, but his grey eyes twinkled with humor. "Come on, let's go join them."

Sasha looked out onto the dance floor and saw other couples getting up to join the Anoa'is. "Thought you don't like dancing," she taunted.

"For my folks, I'll make an exception," said Joe, standing up. "If I step on you I'll massage your feet when we get home."

Sasha rose to her feet, accepting his extended hand. "I'm holding you to that."

They went out to the dance floor, and Joe pulled her into his arms as she circled hers around his neck, gliding along the floor to the classic song. Sasha cupped his cheek in her hand, her insides clenching with desire when he turned his face to kiss her palm. He held her tightly against him and laid a soft, sweet kiss on her lips, gazing into her eyes. "I love you, baby girl."

"I love you too," she smiled, resting her head on his shoulder as they swayed along to the soft music. This had turned out to be a magical night. She caught sight of Sika and Patricia a few feet away. He whispered something in her ear and she grinned, instantly flushing crimson. Watching them together, reveling in four decades of wedded bliss, Sasha realized she wanted that too. She wanted this to be her and Joe's celebration in forty years' time, the two of them still as giddy as they were the day they married and with their children toasting to their longevity. She wanted it all, and it was a dream that deep down she wished one day would come true.

* * *

_**A/N: For the record, I've never shaved anyone before so if my description was wrong, well….LOL! My bad. Kindly review and laugh at me.**_

_**O! M! FREAKING G! Roman though...Long hair, unshaven, leather jacket...hot damn. Just...wow. *bites knuckle***_

_**Minimum drama with this update. Hope it wasn't boring! *bites fingernails***_


	39. Chapter 39

_**Thank you to **__too much drama 1225, ChelleLew, Imagineer1392, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, princessreigns, LuxuriaVanitas, Bharm, DeeMarie426, Olivia Reigns, benova13, nikki1335, IRENELOVE83, corbettluv __**and **__ItReignsJustice-619__** for reviewing.**_

_**Enjoy 39! I think you might. ;)**_

_**Song choice for this chapter: 'Vertigo' by Jason Derulo &amp; Jordin Sparks.**_

* * *

After a fantastic party, the couple returned to the beach house a little after midnight and went straight to bed. The next morning Joe went out to join his parents and siblings for an intimate post-celebration family breakfast. With all his constant traveling he didn't get to spend quality time with his family, and who was Sasha to deny him this precious time? Besides, she was perfectly content to sleep in and enjoy the serenity of her immaculate surroundings.

Matt dropped Joe back at the beach house and sent his regards to Sasha. Dumping the brown paper bag he returned with on the kitchen table, Joe wandered into the master bedroom. His girlfriend lay in the middle of the bed, asleep. She looked so peaceful and more relaxed than she'd been in weeks. The sight of her wearing his t-shirt was a welcome bonus.

Climbing into the bed behind her, he smoothed his hand over her hips and the fluid dip of her waist, tracing her curves. He pressed his muscular frame against her back, loving how his body always fit so perfectly against her voluptuous softness. He never could keep his hands off her, she was like a magnet that just drew him in. He kissed her shoulder, rubbing her arm as he stared at her, wondering, quite sappily, if she was dreaming about him.

Moments later, Sasha stirred and laid tired irises on his grey ones. "Hey, you're back," she murmured, her voice thick with sleep. "How did breakfast go?"

"Great. It's been a long time since the six of us all sat together and just chilled and hung out," he replied with a smile. The happiness in his voice brought a smile to the mother of two's face.

He slipped his hand under her shirt to caress her bare stomach, and smiled at the tiny moan that left her lips. "I brought breakfast back for you. Wanna eat first before hitting the beach or after? I don't mind going for a swim."

"After." Sasha blew out a breath. "Prior to Miami I hadn't worn a bikini in years. And you know I'm not a very good swimmer," she said. Several times he'd tried to get her into his pool at home without success. But that water was static. The ocean was much more volatile and dangerous.

"I'll hold you. And there's no one around so you're wearing the bikini for my eyes only. Now get up." He patted her hip and got back up to change into a pair of board shorts.

"Gimme a minute," she said. She yawned and stretched but didn't move an inch after that.

Pulling his long hair into a bun on top of his head, Joe pushed her with his foot. "Hey, don't fall back asleep on me now, I'm waitin' for you," he warned before leaving the room. Rolling her eyes at him, Sasha dragged herself up and searched for her bikini. She got changed and stepped out, tying her hair high up on her head as she walked across the sand towards the water. She smiled at the sight of Joe chest deep in the water, wading around aimlessly. "Hey!"

He turned around, breaking into a wide grin. "Wow babe," he called out to her. "Red is definitely your color."

Reaching the shore, she took a few tentative steps into the water, walking until she was about knee deep before freezing up. "Baby…" Her eyes darted around nervously, looking slightly panicked as the tide pulled at her and threatened her balance.

Joe waded over. "Come on. Wrap your legs around me." He pulled her to him, and she quickly locked her legs around his waist and her arms tightly around his shoulders. His arms wound under her butt and he walked a few feet deeper into the water until they were at chest level. "I got you," he assured her.

Sasha wanted to feel embarrassed about her inability to swim, but she'd never had the chance or the means to learn. Her kids could. She made damn sure that they learned. She remembered when T.K. was seven years old and his friends' parents were signing them up for swimming lessons every weekend. He'd wanted to join so badly, and though she was broke back then she ensured he registered as well so he wouldn't feel left out. It was important to her that they got the opportunities and chances she never really had. She glanced around the vicinity, enamored by its beautiful, tranquil scenery. This was the closest thing to a tropical paradise she would ever see. "You struck gold with this place, handsome. It's so beautiful."

"It sure is."

She faced him and found his gaze right on her. She smiled shyly and laid a peck upon his lips, moaning quietly as Joe deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue along hers while he caressed her butt. Damn, her man sure could kiss. His hands were like magic. The embrace grew hot and heavy, and by the time they broke apart Sasha was breathless. It took her a moment or two to reassemble her thoughts. "So what's today like?" she asked.

"Today we are going parasailing," he announced happily. "I've been dying to go for the longest time. Afterwards we can take a walk around the market, check out a few things if you like. We'll pick up some fresh salmon so I can make dinner."

"Sounds good," said Sasha. Joe licked his lips, deep in thought. "Did I tell you I signed up for acting classes?"

She cocked her head curiously. "Really?"

"Yeah...I've been thinking about it for a while. You know how people on social media have been ragging my ass about my promo skills. My interview on Raw kinda hit home for me. I hated it and so did Vince. So when we get back to Tampa I'm gonna get started."

"That's good. Why the long face though?" She looked closely at him, noting his colored cheeks and his averted gaze. "Are you embarrassed? What for?"

Joe shrugged. "I dunno...How many times do you hear of a wrestler having to take extra acting classes? I'm probably the only one."

Sasha sighed. "Babe, you can't keep comparing yourself to everyone else. It's pointless. Fine, maybe you're never going to be the Rock or Dean or Bray on the mic but you don't have to be. You do what works for you and what makes you stand out. If you feel the need to improve and you think acting classes will help, then go for it. The important thing is you understand you have a flaw and you're working on it." Her fingers raked the back of his hair as she eyed him. "Speaking of, did you take your meds this morning?"

"Yeah. Took the regular dose." Sighing deeply, he looked at her. "I ain't gonna lie. Sometimes I get tempted to take more than I should. But I force myself to snap out of it. You won't always be there to watch me so I gotta control the urge on my own."

"I know, baby. Take it one day at a time. It'll get better." Smiling softly, she cupped his face in her hands. "I'm so proud of you. Not many people will admit that they have problems, let alone try to solve them. You're doing just that. I know it's not been easy for you."

Joe rubbed her back. "You help me a lot."

"I do. But _you're_ the one who's stepping up so you get all the credit." She tightened her arms around his neck. The kiss from earlier left her wanting more. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to make out with my boyfriend some more in this pristine water."

* * *

Parasailing was the scariest thing Sasha had ever done in her life. And the most exhilarating. She had never done anything like it before and she doubted she ever wanted to again. Joe loved it. He grinned from ear to ear like a little boy through the whole thing. It was nice to see him so happy after a difficult few months. Following a trip to the town's flea market, they were home for dinner by sunset. Sasha went off to get changed out of her clothes while Joe prepared the salmon he'd bought for dinner. He set a table and two chairs out on the deck and laid a white tablecloth over the table. He set two places for himself and Sasha and lit two candles in the middle, finishing off the décor by sprinkling red and pink rose petals over the table. Ensuring that everything was perfect, he went to the guest room to shower since Sasha was still in the master bathroom. He changed into a loose white shirt, leaving most of the buttons undone for his girl's benefit, and a pair of cargo shorts, and returned to the kitchen to put the finishing touches to their food. "Sash, dinner's ready!" he called out.

He turned at the sound of clicking heels and nearly dropped the bottle of white wine he was holding. His girlfriend sauntered over in a forest green silk thigh-length kimono robe and one of the shoes he'd bought her, five-inch high red platform peep-toe pumps that elongated her legs. Her long hair was down in soft waves that swished around her shoulders. She looked a hell of a lot better than the salmon he cooked.

"Wow babe, this looks good," she praised, kissing his cheek, and he caught a whiff of her perfume. She made her way out onto the deck, the outline of her shapely butt visible through her skimpy outfit. Like a lovesick puppy he scurried after her, helping her with her chair as she sat down at the table and crossed her legs, revealing sheer thigh-high tights. "Aw, Joe. This is so romantic."

"What's this?" he demanded.

"What's what babe?"

"What are you wearing?"

"A robe," she said innocently, but the twinkle in her eye was unmistakable.

"With stilettos and stockings." His grey eyes raked over her frame. "Looks like dessert to me."

Tossing her hair back, the mother of two shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe," she agreed, "But you know how it goes with dessert…you can't have any until after dinner."

Oh, she was playing games huh? No matter. He always won in the end, and tonight would be no different.

As the night went on however, it was clear that Sasha wasn't going to make it easy for him. She went out of her way to torment him all through dinner. There was a flirtatious undertone in everything she did. She let her robe fall open some more, giving him a peek of her buxom breasts swelling over her lacy bra. Her knee constantly brushed against his and she ran the toe of her shoe up and down his leg, spreading heat through his body. She licked her spoon a little too slowly and she made this little moan after every bite of her food, planting all kinds of dirty thoughts in his mind. At one point she spilled some of her wine on herself, and he watched the line of liquid slowly trickle down her neck and into her ample cleavage. With her finger, she flicked up the spilt wine off her chest and put it in her mouth, her eyes on him the whole time.

Fuck.

His dick twitched painfully in his pants. He was definitely hungry now, and not for food.

Dinner somehow went by without incident. Dabbing her mouth with a napkin, Sasha smiled sweetly at her lover. "That was amazing, baby. My sincerest compliments to the chef." She stood and sidled over to him. "You cooked so I'll clean up."

Bending forwards, her ass was in his face as she blew out the candles, and that was the last straw. Thoughts of maintaining his composure went flying out the window. Jerking to his feet, he spun her around, and a surprised yelp escaped her as he pushed her up against the table. She sucked in a breath as he pressed his hard body against her. He was hard, aroused, and his ash-colored eyes blazed with desire.

"You been teasin' me all damn night, Morgan," he growled, his nose tracing the column of her neck. Damn she smelled good.

The surprise in Sasha's eyes slowly dissipated, giving way to something much more carnal. "I don't know what you're talking about," she whispered, her bottom lip slowly and deliberately disappearing between her teeth.

"Oh, I'll show you exactly what I'm talking about. Come here." He heard her yelp as he threw her over his shoulder, and he went inside, giving her ass a quick slap as he marched down the hallway towards his bedroom. He smiled at the atmosphere he walked into. The bedside lamps had been dimmed, giving the room a sensual, romantic feel. The sheets and pillows on the bed were silk, a change from the previous cotton bedding. An appealing floral fragrance filled the air and R&amp;B music played softly somewhere in the background. It was clear Sasha had planned this and frankly he liked the way her mind worked. Setting her down on the ground, he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her to stand before him. He tugged the hem of her robe. "I want my dessert now. Take it off," he commanded.

His gruff voice told her he wasn't playing around. She slowly untied the robe and shrugged it off her shoulders, the garment landing in a jade pool around her Louboutin-clad feet and exposing her lacy ensemble. Black bra, matching thong and suspenders holding up her tights. As far as the Samoan was concerned she had too much on. He swiftly unhooked the suspenders and tossed it aside. His palms ascended up her legs, her thighs and her hips, a look of wonder in his expression as he caressed her. "So soft. So fuckin' sexy," he murmured. "You got a bangin' body, baby girl." He looked at her. "Say it."

"Say what?" she asked, confused.

"Repeat what I just said. Tell me how great your body is." He didn't take his eyes off her, his gaze serious and expectant. Flipping her hair back, she put a hand on his shoulder and tilted her head haughtily. "I'm sexy. I got a bangin' body," she whispered, "An amazing, bangin' body."

Satisfied by her answer, Joe smiled and licked his lips in approval. "Ya damn right." He pulled down her thong and clasped his hands over her luscious backside, turning her around to plant his lips upon the soft skin.

Her eyes widened. "Did you just kiss my ass?"

He smirked, pulling her to straddle his lap. "I think I did."

He literally kissed her ass. Okay, he was definitely a keeper then.

She gasped as Joe slipped his hand between her thighs, and moaned outright when he pushed his finger against her wet center, rubbing and stroking her. She squirmed but he held her still, his darkened gaze locked on hers as he continued to stroke her. He loved how wet and ready she always was for him. "You're mine tonight," he said firmly, "Every single part of you. Mine to do with as I please. Got it?"

At the sight of him pulling his now wet finger out of her and sucking on it, her mouth went dry. _Damn. _"Got it," she stammered breathlessly, flustered.

"Good. Take a seat." He guided her to sit on the bed and it was his turn to shed his clothes, stripping down to his underwear. He stood in front of her and gestured down at the bulge straining his black briefs. "You caused this, so take care of it."

Cutting her gaze to his ravenous expression, she palmed his stiff manhood through the cotton material, rubbing him up and down. She felt the length twitch from her touch, heard a low growl rumble from his lips. Making quick work of his briefs, she took hold of him and lowered her mouth onto him, sucking hard.

"That's it baby girl, suck me off." He gathered her hair away from her face and watched her pleasure him. He worked her as well, reaching down to fondle her breast through the lacy material of her bra. Her moans were muffled by his dick in her mouth, and she sucked him faster and harder. His hips jerked in reaction, and letting out another curse, he tossed his head back and lowered it again. "Fuck, I'm close already. Let me fuck that beautiful mouth of yours."

Sasha pulled back, gasping slightly, and smiled. "Go right ahead, baby." She slid him back in, drawing another pleasured groan from him. Holding her head still with both hands, he thrust into her warm, waiting mouth. She accommodated him perfectly, taking in all of his length. Rubbing the back of his thighs, she hummed against his shaft, increasing the sensations within him, and Joe knew her grip on his thighs was the only reason he hadn't collapsed yet. "Finish me off, baby. Make me come," he rasped, pushing deeper inside her until she had to pull away to keep from gagging on his girth. She captured his balls in her mouth, slurping them while she pumped his dick with her hand.

Joe wrapped his fingers tighter in her hair, feeling his body start to seize up. "Shit…Sash, fuck…uhhh…" His body went rigid, a harsh groan tearing from his lips as his orgasm slammed him hard. Sasha caught him just in time for him to unload inside her mouth, moaning softly as she sucked up every drop of him. She released him after he calmed, leaving damp kisses on his stomach. She glanced up seductively at him, seeing the fire in his eyes as he stroked her cheek.

"I got the first nut outta the way," he smiled wickedly. "Now I can take my sweet time with you."

Oh man. She was in for it now.

He sat back down on the bed and kissed her deeply, reaching behind her to unfasten her bra. She started to kick off her heels but he stopped her. "Nah babe, keep them on. They look good on you. They'll look even better hangin' in midair as I'm poundin' you." He gestured towards the bed. "Get in and lay on your back."

Sasha climbed in backwards, her gaze trailing down his body. She'd just sucked him off but there he stood, erect and ready to go again. She took his face in her hands but he snatched them away and held them above her head. "No touching," he ordered, brushing his lips against her chin. Sasha couldn't help but be aroused by his authority. She loved when he got controlling and domineering, and she was more turned on than ever. Shutting her eyes, she sighed impatiently, her body aching with anticipation.

"Guess what I brought with me."

Her eyes opened again and fell on the object dangling from his fingers, and her loins instantly began throbbing in earnest. A pair of handcuffs, lined with black fur just like the ones she'd found in his childhood bedroom. _Oh shit._

"I've fantasized about using them on you ever since I saw you with them," Joe said, "But I won't if you don't want me to."

Sasha nodded. "Go ahead. I know you won't hurt me. I trust you."

He smiled, looking relieved. "I would never hurt you." He meant it too.

He closed the cuffs around her wrists, keeping her hands above her head as opposed to behind her back to give her more freedom. The enthusiastic expression on his face sent a wave of desire through her. She instinctively pulled at the cuffs. They weren't uncomfortable thanks to the furry material protecting her wrists. But she definitely wasn't going anywhere, not if her boyfriend could help it.

"You sure you're okay?" Joe asked seriously. He was all for kinky sex, but not to the point where anyone got hurt. He wanted it to be something they could both enjoy without crossing any dangerous lines, which tended to get blurred in the heat of passion. "If you don't want them just tell me."

"It's fine, big boy." She loved that he cared enough to make sure she was comfortable. "Do what you want with me."

At her words, the concern on his face morphed to one of hunger. He moved over her, parting her legs with his body. Digging his fingers into her hair, he kissed her hungrily, hearing her moan when he bit down on her bottom lip. Sasha tilted her head back to give him access to her neck. He licked all the way down to her collar bone and clasped one breast in his hand, worrying the sensitive nipple between his fingers while he sucked the other one in his mouth, and it was a direct hit to her groin. "Fuck," she gasped.

"I love your breasts, baby girl," he stated against the soft flesh. "They fill my hands perfectly."

"Well, your hands are huge so obviously…ah!" She cried out in surprise when his warm tongue suddenly met her pussy with one long, wet lick. How did he get down there so fast? Shockwaves surged through her and she cried out again when he spread her legs on opposite sides and started flicking his tongue faster. He lapped and sucked her folds greedily, feasting on her pussy like he hadn't eaten only half an hour ago. Sasha groaned out loud as white-hot pleasure surged through her. "Oh fuck, holy fuck…"

Joe held down her thighs as he dragged the flat of his tongue over her slit. "You are delicious, _nani_," he murmured, "Hands down the best pussy I've ever had."

She would have commented on the glowing compliment, but her mind was so befuddled. She squealed as he rolled her hips off the bed and pushed her legs up until her feet were touching the headboard in some sort of weird small package-type pin. He buried his face between her thick thighs, the position he'd twisted her body in giving him deeper access inside her. He thrust his tongue deep, his breath hot against her wetness as he delved for more of her sweet taste. As he rubbed his nose over her clit her legs began to shake, her toes curling inside her stilettos, but Joe showed no mercy, lashing his tongue around and around inside her. Sasha screamed his name as she came hard. The orgasm seemed to go on and on, leaving her in a boneless, watery heap. "Holy shit," she whispered.

Joe smiled triumphantly. He wasn't through with her, not by a longshot. He remembered asking her to pack a certain toy of hers, the one he'd purchased for her to hold her down in his absence. Quickly, he dove off the bed and rummaged through her things. Pulling it out, he eyed the object carefully and then turned it on. He held it up, and the look on his girlfriend's face was priceless.

Sasha was sure she was going to die from sensory overload. Not only was the vibrator drilling her still-sensitive body, moving at a delicious pace that Joe was carefully controlling, but he'd added his fucking tongue back into the equation. Once again she had to lie there, shackled, her legs wide open while he ate her out with gusto. "Motherfucker…fuckin'…" She tried to form a coherent sentence and failed, groaning as her body began to react again.

By now Joe was rock hard. He hadn't heard sounds like that from her before and they threatened to make _him_ end, even though he hadn't been touched yet. He saw how her fists clenched the pillow above her head, how her belly tightened and her breathing quickened. He pushed the vibrator deeper inside her and sucked her hard. She moaned so loudly she could probably be heard around the entire house. He could feel her trying to hold back and licked her clit in encouragement. "Don't fight it, baby girl. Come for me again."

She tried to control how much her body needed to release, but it was like trying to stop a dam from breaking. "Oh goooood." Her words disappeared in a shuddering groan as yet another orgasm rocked her body, spiraling her into nothingness. "Fuck."

Joe watched it all unfold with a shit-eating grin. "Good girl."

"You're a bastard."

Laughing, he made his way back up her body, his lips teasing her skin, feeling the post-coital tremors ripple beneath his mouth. He kissed her lips, parting them with his deadly tongue. "Taste yourself, _nani_. See how good you taste."

She sucked the damp muscle between her lips and groaned, growing more aroused if that was possible. As talented as her man was in the wrestling ring, he was twice as brilliant between the sheets. He didn't always have to touch her. His voice, deep and gruff in her ear; his words, dirty or tender, never failed to make her hot. He always knew what to say, what to do to get her aching for him. Sasha had a very gifted lover on her hands, and she definitely wasn't complaining.

His pelvis rested on hers as he lined up his hard shaft against her very sensitive center. His fingers gripped her hair as they kissed long and hard, tongues plunging in and out, their hips grinding intensely as he slid his erection up and down her folds without slipping inside her. The tip kept bumping against her clit, shooting sparks of sensation through her.

"Baby I need you inside me," Sasha pleaded between passionate kisses. She knew her actions were in vain, but she tugged again at the bonds holding her hands prisoner. She wasn't even sure if she had any strength left in her, but if he kept this up, if he didn't get inside of her soon, she was going to spontaneously combust. "Baby, _please_…"

The desperation in her tone made him smile. "I love it when you beg," he commented. He got off the bed and stood at the edge, and rolled her flat on her stomach, her bound hands outstretched in front of her. Behind her Sasha heard a small tearing sound, and moments later his hands were on her hips. "On your knees baby, ass up. I wanna watch that ass bounce on my dick while I fuck you," he growled. He smacked her backside and then kneaded it, dragging a throaty moan out of her. She spread her knees wide for him and whimpered as he massaged her ass, then pushed slowly and agonizingly into her, stretching her walls with his thickness. Joe couldn't help the moan that escaped him. This position took him deep inside her pussy and it felt fucking awesome. He braced his leg on the bed and moved with force and authority from the onset, watching her plump buttocks jiggle with every smack of his pelvis, a slick sheen of her juices coating his protected length as it slid in and out of her. The erotic image turned him on immensely, and he held onto her ass as his pace quickened, slowed down and then increased again, drawing out more wanton moans from her. "Fuck," Sasha whined, "Fuck you feel so fuckin' good."

"Say my name, baby," the Samoan ordered, his voice deep and raspy as his hand traveled along her back. "What's my name, huh? Who's tearin' up your pussy right now?"

"You are, Joe," she responded, clutching the silk sheets with her fists and crying out as his thrusts became harder and deeper. "_Fuck!_ Oh my god, Joe!"

"You like that babe? You like the way I'm fuckin' you?" he taunted her, swatting her backside. "You like how I'm poundin' that pussy?"

"Yes baby I love it!" she groaned, arching her back to take him in deeper. "Fuck me hard Joe. Pound my pussy!" By the time this was over she was going to lose her voice. Every press of his body drew loud noises out of her. Her eyes rolled back each time he grinded his hips while buried inside her, hitting her spot immaculately. She could hear him panting and grunting, just as affected as she was. And in all of this, she could not touch him. It was agony, sweet agony, but she could do nothing about it. Joe had full control of her body and he never relinquished it until he was good and ready.

Turning her on her back again, Joe climbed back into the bed. Sasha's hands remained bound above her head, at the mercy of the Samoan god hovering over her. Staying on his knees, he crossed her ankles and held them up together in his large hand. He covered her breast with his other hand as he drove into her. Sasha looked up at his beautiful face, twisted in concentration, his goatee glistening with her essence, his olive skin gleaming with sweat and giving his body an immaculate bronzed glow that made her wish more than ever that her hands were on him.

The sounds of slapping flesh and the king size bed rocking and knocking against the wall took over the bedroom, competing with their sex noises. Joe grabbed a fistful of the sheer tights covering Sasha's leg and ripped it savagely, dragging his tongue along her bare calf. He could be so primal, so animalistic in his ways and it was exceptionally hot to her. Panting and grasping at thin air, she tossed her head back and closed her eyes tightly. She couldn't think straight at the moment. She was finally convinced that hooking up with a younger guy was the absolute best decision any woman could make. Surely no thirty-something-year-old man possessed this level of ability or sense of adventure, or even twenty-year-olds. Or maybe it was just Joe Anoa'i and the fact that he was just that damn good. Never had she known sex like she did with him. He could make sweet, sensual love to her all day but he could also fuck like a porn star and she loved that he fucked her like one. Right now he was turning her out and she was loving every moment of it.

Joe was close to his release, but he had to get his girl there first. He pushed down on her, almost folding her body in two as he pressed her legs to her chest, smothering her with his massive sweaty body and thrusting hips. His kiss was voracious and possessive as their mouths collided. "Open your eyes," he ordered, "Look at me while you come."

As though cast under a spell by his husky voice, she obeyed. Her mouth parted, her breaths joining his in quick bursting expulsions of air as he continued to slam deep into her tight opening, sinking her body further into the mattress. She cried out as he thumbed her clit roughly, felt the familiar grip of her muscles around his dick. Her body convulsed from the orgasm to end all orgasms, the one that robbed her of all her senses. She was all nerves and sensation but Joe continued to push her well over the edge, buried to the hilt, grinding and pumping until he quickly pulled out of her. Growling loudly, he ripped off the condom and pumped his dick frantically in his fist. His head dipped backwards, a string of expletives escaped him as he came all over her stomach, milky white droplets pouring from his dick and coating her naked body. Pleasure more intense than he'd ever known swept through his body like a tidal wave. Expended and breathless, his rested his hands on the headboard, keeping himself upright but barely. It felt like an eternity passed before he reached over with shaking hands to release the handcuffs. Disposing of the used condom in the nearby wastebasket, Joe reached for his discarded shirt and cleaned Sasha up, then collapsed on the bed beside her.

"Damn, baby," he breathed, sounding like he'd just competed in an Iron Man match. He gently rubbed her wrists with his thumbs, softly kissing each of them. "You alright, beautiful?"

Sasha was sprawled on her back, a faraway look in her eyes. She felt woozy, her body sore and weak from pleasure. "Think you fucked my brains out," she replied after several seconds, her words slightly slurred.

The Samoan chuckled. "Well that's kinda what I was aiming for." He watched in amusement as she tiredly kicked her heels off, snuggled against him and closed her eyes. Within seconds she was out like a light. Joe held her sweaty form tight against his own and kissed her hair, very satisfied and proud of his accomplishment for the night.

* * *

_**Aren't these two the cutest?**_

_**Ahem…expect more in the next chapter. It's their vacay after all. But if you have any complaints about that kindly let me know. ;)**_

_**Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers. I'll eat a turkey leg on your behalf. :D**_

_**Please review! If I hit 700 reviews this weekend I'll be VERY happy. :)**_


	40. Chapter 40

_**I don't know why I keep forgetting to put in my song choices for my updates. I forgot to do that in the last one and I had to re-edit it to include it, because trust me, that song is perfect. If you're interested you could take another read and listen along…**_

_**My song choice for this chapter is "Said I Loved You But I Lied" by Michael Bolton. It's one of my most favorite songs ever, and I thought the lyrics fit well with the second segment of this chapter.**_

_**Special, special thanks to **__Alisi824, too much drama 1225, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, Guest, StoryLover82,princessreigns, Tammy, justkimmy, Bharm, ItReignsJustice-619, PNDreigns, 33, Violet Craine, Guest, corbettluv, ChelleLew, LuxuriaVanitas, Olivia Reigns, Shield316, DeeMarie426, IRENELOVE83, benova13__** and **__nikki1335 __**for taking me to over 700 reviews! I swear I still can't believe it. You guys are amazing. I like that you all like my version of Roman. ;D**_

_**Hope you enjoy 40 too!**_

* * *

Joe woke up to sunrays across his face and no covers over his naked body. Sasha lay between his legs, deep-throating his dick.

"Holy shit!" He shot up off the bed, trying to brace himself on his elbows and almost ripping his arms out of their sockets in the process. He craned his head upwards and saw his wrists shackled in the furry handcuffs from last night. He gaped at his girlfriend in utter shock, taking in the sly smile on her face.

"Good morning, baby," she whispered, her tongue darting out for a long, slow lick of his length before she swallowed him again.

"Oh my god," was all he could say as he slumped back down on the bed, his jaw dropping as her hot, sexy mouth engulfed him. He'd been ambushed, but as sneaky as that was, god if he wasn't turned the fuck on right now.

Sasha released his penis with an audible pop and reached for something on the night stand. Joe gaped at the object with wide eyes and glared at her. "You wouldn't."

Straddling him, Sasha smirked, an eyebrow raised defiantly as she tugged the elastic band of the pink eye mask between her fingers. "Oh, but I would. And I am."

And she brought the mask over his eyes, securing the band behind his head. Joe groaned, missing his sight instantly. "Aw babe, this is just foul," he protested.

"Turnabout is fair play, Mr. Reigns. Deal with it," she said, nibbling his ear. "Besides, I think you're gonna like it."

He could feel her hands roaming his upper body as she straddled his wide torso. She wasn't wearing any underwear; he could feel her moist heat against his skin. His lips parted and his breathing was labored as she caressed his broad chest. "Have I told you how gorgeous your skin is, baby?" she said. "It looks like butterscotch. I just wanna lick you all up." She put action to her words, trailing her tongue from one end of his collarbone to the tattoo adorning his pecs. Joe's body was alight with sensation. Her warm breath and her tongue on his skin, her voice low and husky, had never been more erotic than now, now that he couldn't see anything. All of his senses were heightened and he knew that she planned to take full advantage of that.

Sasha continued to touch him, tracing the goosebumps breaking out all over his body. His hard, strong, beautiful big body, custom-built for sex, custom-made for her. The first taste she had, she became insatiable. She knew right away that she would want no one else and that had not changed. She reared back and grasped his impressive length once again, stroking it up and down, dragging a moan off his lips. She felt powerful and sexy knowing that she could turn this behemoth of a man, the powerhouse of The Shield, into putty with her touch. "Mm, look at that. So hard for me," she purred, stroking and squeezing him. "You got a magnificent dick, baby. Thick and hard and tasty. And you know the best part? It belongs to me. Ain't that right big boy?"

Pleasure crashed down on every sense he owned and it was a miracle that he could think straight. Breathing hard, his hips instinctively bucked as her hand grew bolder, stroking up and down, all five fingers marking every ridge of his hardness. She took turns stroking and squeezing him, earning another round of tormented groans from the restrained man. "Fuck Sash, you're gonna make me come."

Out of nowhere she stopped, and he felt her grip on him loosen as she shifted away. His ears strained to decipher where she was going, what she was up to, but could hear nothing other than the sound of his own heavy breathing. Lying prone and naked on the bed, blindfolded and handcuffed, as exhilarating as it felt, also left him feeling slightly vulnerable. The blend of adrenaline, anticipation and frustration was a delicious combination.

Suddenly she gripped him again, and a moist warmth that wasn't her mouth enveloped his entire length. His body jerked as Sasha lowered herself onto him, her moan of pleasure ringing in his ears as she settled fully over him. Joe lay there helplessly, hissing with pleasure as she began to rotate her hips, feeling her slick, heated flesh glide over his. With each downward motion her muscles clenched around him. "Mm yeah," she rasped, rocking up and down on him. "Oh, fuck yeah."

"You love ridin' my dick, don't you baby?" Joe growled, pumping his own hips slowly, the Alpha Male in him unwilling to let her have _all _the fun. "You love my big dick deep inside your drippin' pussy?"

"Oh yeah, baby. My pussy loves your dick so fuckin' much," she answered, her ass rotating steadily with him buried inside her. Even with his impaired vision he could tell what she was doing from the sounds of her husky moans, what she wasn't allowing him to do; caressing her hair, cupping her swaying breasts and tweaking the pebbled nipples, dipping her fingers between her legs and toying with her clit just like he would have. She sounded so sexy. Sweat broke out on his skin, and his abs tightened and his breathing was ragged and heavy. Never in his life had he felt so good. Every sensation was magnified and that much better. Sasha kept her hands on his chest and churned her hips counter-clockwise, then in reverse, guiding him closer to his climax, and just when he was absolutely sure he was going to come she stilled, loosening up her inner muscles.

Joe groaned in frustration. "You're such a fuckin' tease," he snarled through gritted teeth.

Sasha giggled and captured his mouth in hers for a quick passionate kiss. "You're so hot," she whispered, "I've never seen anyone so beautiful." She kissed his neck, already slick with sweat, and bit gently on it, feeling his jaw clench in reaction. She remained motionless on top of him, still intimately joined, and Joe tugged at the handcuffs, sorely tempted to try to break them. "_Nani_, let me see you. Let me touch you. I need to touch you. Please."

Her eyes brightened. He had never begged her before. But he had his fun with her last night and now it was her turn. She was going to protract his agony for as long as she could. She squeezed her breast in one hand and guided it to his mouth. He latched onto it, sucking ravenously. She offered him the other breast and received the same treatment. She wasn't moving but he could feel her essence seeping out of her, flowing down his throbbing length and escalating the erotic heat between them. She was tight and hot and wet and driving him absolutely wild, and not being able to touch or see her was torture; devastatingly beautiful torture. "Sasha," he whined, "Baby, you're killin' me."

"I love the way you moan my name, baby," she whispered, rubbing her hands along his outstretched arms and linking their fingers together. She sank back down on him and pressed her body on top of his. With her hands slipping down to grab his ass and her ankles tucked underneath his thighs, she resumed her slow, methodical grinding, moaning into his neck. It was pleasure overload for the Samoan, broken breaths escaping him each time she slid him deep into her moistness.

"Fuck, your pussy feels so good," he panted. "Ride me hard, baby girl. Fuck me."

She had no problem obliging him. The pleasure was becoming unbearable even for her. Planting a steamy kiss on his lips she pushed up on her arms and began riding him fast and hard, bouncing her ass on his erection. Joe's head tipped back, gasping his girl's name repeatedly as he got lost in the overwhelming pleasure. She held him down to the bed and slammed herself hard and deep on his cock over and over, the two moaning and groaning with ecstasy as euphoria danced closer. His dick swelled inside her, her cries mingled with his groans as her narrow channel tightened around his stiff length. Sasha cried out, her fingernails scraping his chest as she shattered around him, her orgasm riddling her entire body with tremors. Beneath her, Joe's body shuddered as he came with a guttural groan, his seed spurting generously inside her. Jerking his hips one last time he went limp, and he moaned in protest when she moved, slipping him out of her in the process. The eye mask came off his face, and he had to blink away the stars in his eyes to readjust to the daylight. She unlocked the handcuffs and gently massaged his wrists. Chuckling, she loomed above him, her beautiful face flushed with satisfaction. "I love to watch you come," she said. "You have the best facial expression ever, even blindfolded."

"That was so fuckin' hot," Joe mumbled blissfully, silenced momentarily by her kiss. "Hell of a way to wake up."

"Glad you liked," said Sasha, draping her naked frame over his as he reached for his phone to check the time. He then remembered he hadn't communicated with the WWE Universe in a while. Attaching a photo he'd taken of the beach view from his patio, he sent out a simple tweet.

_Paradise. #life #love #recovery_

Sasha tilted her head curiously. "Who are you talking to?"

"The fans. And Ambrose says hi," he replied just as his friend's iMessage came in. He played around on his phone for a bit before turning it towards Sasha. "Say cheese."

"What?" Startled, she yanked the sheets over her chest. "Motherfucker I'm naked!"

"So?" he retorted, wiggling his eyebrows.

Sasha slapped his chest. "Not funny, perv. This ain't no Kim K sex tape crap. Ain't nobody got time for that."

His features perked up. "Sex tape, huh?" he purred, moving on top of her and resting his forearms by her head. "You tryna tell me somethin', Morgan?"

She shook her head instantly, frowning. "If it's what I think you're thinking, then absolutely not. I would never, ever make a sex tape or take nude photos. Out of the question. And you shouldn't either. You're famous and somehow, someway they'll get leaked."

"That always seems to happen, doesn't it?" he agreed.

"Exactly. I really don't think the world needs to see us doing the dirty." She shuddered at the thought. With the way information traveled around these days, the tape or pictures would surely find their way to her children and she would never be able to look them in the eye again. And that was a scary thought. It wasn't worth it. Not at all. "I don't mind trying new stuff to spice things up in bed but I draw the line at sex tapes and nudes. And anal," she added.

Joe nodded. "Yeah, I remember that little caveat. Would've been fun to make a tape with you though," he mused, pressing his lips to hers. "Alma recommended a spa somewhere in town that I should take you to. She said we won't regret it. After that we'll go out for dinner," he said.

"Where?"

"Somewhere cool." Another kiss. "You're going to have to wear flip flops though."

"Oh, it's gonna be sandy?"

"You could say that," he answered enigmatically as she initiated the kiss this time, her hand stroking his bulging bicep. "You brought that green dress I like right? The one with the open back?" She nodded. "Wear that tonight."

"Okay." She raised an eyebrow when he started to crawl down her body and disappear underneath the sheets. "What are you doing?"

"I'm about to return the favor from earlier," he replied, sprinkling butterfly kisses down the length of her body until his head was between her legs. Sasha swallowed hard. "You didn't get enough last night? Just now?" she questioned, her fingers sneaking into his hair.

"I can never get enough of you, _nani_," said Joe.

Damn, she loved when he looked at her like that. "By the end of this trip I'll be walking funny," she laughed.

"That's the plan." He winked at her and swiped his tongue against her inner thigh. "Now hush. I got work to do."

And with that he lowered his head and settled his mouth over her, wiping every memory she owned with indescribable pleasure.

* * *

"So what's been your favorite part of the weekend so far?" Joe asked Sasha as he took a bite of his sushi. He'd surprised her with dinner on a beautiful, tiny private island. They were ferried by boat to the place, where a small table was already set with their meals and drinks, the table and chairs sitting in shallow, perfectly clear water on pure white sand.

Sasha took a sip of champagne. "Parasailing was awesome. I was petrified at first but the wind was incredible, it felt like a rush. The spa was super nice too. I can still feel the effects all over myself. My favorite part though? The sex we've been having. You are in fine form, big boy."

His eyes lit up proudly and he smiled that beautiful smile of his. "The pleasure is all mine. I've missed fucking you, baby girl."

"Likewise, sweetie." She laughed and sipped her drink again. "I enjoyed exploring the town yesterday too. Thank you again for the earrings." She turned her head from side to side, showing off her new gold dangle earrings.

"They're beautiful on you."

"Thanks. I could get used to this place, you know. The beaches, the clean air, the beauty of it all."

"You should," he answered, "I plan on bringing you here again in the future, as well as many other places."

There was that word again. Future. A word he'd been using more often lately, and she couldn't help but feel giddy inside. She cut up a piece of her lamb and held it up to his mouth. "Here, try some."

He bit the meat off the fork and chewed on it. "Mm. It's good."

"Really good," said Sasha. "What about you? Favorite part of the trip?"

"My folks' party has to be right up there. And I also enjoyed parasailing. Done it a couple of times before but it was fun with you. And I totally agree with the sex part. Two months is definitely a long time to go without."

"I'd like to see you go eight years," challenged Sasha.

Joe made a face. "Hell no! I'll die. I don't know how you did it."

"Of course." She rolled her eyes and giggled. "All you men need sex. Y'all can't function without it. I was doing fine before you showed up, now I've turned into a nympho slut thanks to you." She shot him a playful glare.

"You're welcome," said Joe, lazily rubbing her thigh. "I'm glad I took the time off. I needed this."

"You did," Sasha agreed. "Resting up and recharging your batteries is important. And it's been fun too. Too bad tomorrow's the last day."

"Yeah," he pouted. "I remember you saying something about us spending the whole day in bed. You still want that?"

"Yep. Preferably naked," she stated, looking out over the water. The sun was setting, and they were finishing up with their meal. "Wow. I need a shot of this view."

"I still can't believe I forgot to bring a camera," Joe said, pouring himself another glass of champagne. "You're a good photographer and you know your cameras, I might have let you have it too."

"Uh-uh. You've already pampered me enough." She stood up, held her phone carefully so as not to drop it in the shallow water, and took a couple of photos of the water, the trees and the tiny island. The light was perfect. She then turned her phone to her boyfriend and took a few shots while he wasn't looking. His expression was thoughtful as he leaned back in his chair staring at his glass of champagne. He glanced up at her and gave her his usual sexy half smile. He looked devastatingly perfect in a navy blue V-neck muscle shirt and black shorts, his sleek black hair pulled back behind him. "You're so handsome," Sasha commented.

His smile broadened. Suddenly, he pulled her onto his lap and took the phone from her. Curling one arm around her waist, he took a picture of the two of them. They'd been capturing lots of memories of their weekend together and she doubted she would ever forget any of them. Joe returned her phone to her and wrapped both arms around her, nestling his cheek against hers. He smelled so good. Sasha loved that he never seemed able to stop touching her, always held her protectively like she was precious cargo. She leaned into him, running her fingertips along his chest.

"You tired yet?" he murmured.

She shook her head. "Not really."

"Good. I wanna take you somewhere."

They left dinner and ventured further into the small island, coming across a traditional landscape garden. A stone pathway led to a beautiful orchid with rows of exotic flowers, with wooden benches in the middle where people could sit. The air smelled great. Sasha felt like she'd walked into a bottle of perfume. Instantly drawn to the rose bushes, she inhaled a rose and was reminded of all the colorful bouquets Joe had given her in the past. "Now this is a rose bush," she stated, impressed. "If I ever have a house of my own, a real house, the garden's going to look just like this."

Coming up behind her, Joe placed his hands on her waist. "I could give them to you, you know," he whispered.

Turning around, she looked at him curiously. "Give me what?"

"The house, the garden you're talking about…What if I told you I can give it all to you and more?" he said. His words were loaded, and as she scrutinized his perfect grey eyes, his expression passionate and hopeful and vulnerable, she suddenly understood what he was talking about. What he meant.

_Future._

Suppressing the overwhelming feelings that brewed within her, she kept calm and smiled at him. "I'd believe you," she said truthfully. "I'd also tell you that there's still a long time to think about that, that we shouldn't rush things and instead enjoy what we have right now."

He was quiet for a while, and for a second she wondered if he was displeased by her answer. She was relieved to see him nod and an understanding smile appear on his handsome face. "Fair enough." He raised their joined fingers to his lips. "Come. Let's see more."

Together they strolled around the garden, admiring the roses that made up the high walls. There were many rows of many colors; red, pink, yellow, white, peach. Sasha was pleasantly surprised by Joe explaining the significance of each of the colors. Whenever he bought flowers for Sasha in person, the bubbly florist he went to was always eager to divulge the information to him to the point that it was now imbedded in his memory.

"I wonder if this is what our school gym looked like at Prom," Sasha commented randomly as she looked around. "It was supposed to be a flower theme or something if I remember correctly."

"Didn't you go to Prom?" Joe asked, his voice trailing off as the answer to his own question hit him. "Oh yeah…"

"Mm-hmm," she smirked. "I'd left by then. Prom was no place for a pregnant teenager. The punch and sodas would've been spiked with booze anyway."

Joe winced and smacked his forehead. "I forgot all about that. I'm an idiot."

"No you're not. It's not like I talk about it all the time," she said, smiling at him. "You on the other hand made Prom King, Mr. Most Attractive."

He blushed a little. "That was a long time ago. I'm sure you'd have made Queen. Stuck it to all those Mean Girls."

"Ah, the Mean Girls," said Sasha, "Actually me and Pam were among the very few chicks in school that couldn't be touched by them 'cause they knew we could fuck them up if we wanted to."

"You and Pam were badasses back then it seems," he joked.

"What, and we're not now?" she taunted, "Don't let Pam hear that. The two of us combined can lay waste to your precious Divas."

"I'd pay to see that," Joe stated with a grin.

"Do you think I could be a Diva?" asked Sasha, "Not that I'd ever actually want to, God no. But do you think I could cut it?"

"Hell yeah," the Samoan nodded heartily. "With that sexy-ass body, your spunk and athletic background you'd be a definite shoe-in. But I wouldn't want you to be."

"Why not?"

"I don't want the world drooling over you. Imagine if it was back then when bra and panties matches were still going on. I would've hated it."

The mother of two tilted her head in amusement. "You're very possessive of me, Mr. Reigns."

"Got a problem with that?" he asked, ash-colored eyes shining with mischief.

A smile spread across her face. "Not at all. You don't go overboard with it. I get the same way with you sometimes."

"And I wouldn't have it any other way." Picking out a pink rose from the bushes, he broke off half the stem and tucked the flower into her wavy hair. He settled down on a nearby bench and pulled her next to him. Their fingers linked together on his lap, the two leaning against each other as they stared up at the stars littering the sky.

"Can I make a confession?" Sasha's soft voice broke the comfortable silence, and she heard his hum in reply. She wasn't exactly sure why she was bringing this up now, but it felt as good a time as any. "The first time we met…I found you a little intimidating."

Joe chuckled at the admission. "Why? My size?"

"That maybe, and you were so confident and so forward," she said, smiling softly as she reminisced. "I remember when you first asked me out. I was so confused. I kept wondering what this hot, young guy wanted with me, why he was interested in me. Did we even have anything in common? I thought you were just messin' around, ya know? That you were just looking for someone to pass the time with. I couldn't be that girl again, the stepping stone to move on to someone 'better'. I tried to fight you but I quickly realized it was pointless. I was drawn to you. You were bold and upfront and you knew what you wanted, yet you were down-to-earth and I liked that. I liked the attention you were giving me. I caught feelings for you real fast and I welcomed them, even at the risk of getting my heart broken again."

Joe untangled their fingers to wrap his big arm around her, his gaze still upon the sky above. "I was heading to the Grill one fine day. I hadn't been in ages. I actually almost didn't show up but I promised Reg I'd visit when I got back in town. I remembered I was running out of protein shake and stopped by this random-looking grocery store I've never been to before, and I end up bumping into this tiny, beautiful woman who looked like she wanted to beat the shit outta somebody." They both laughed at the memory. "She obviously didn't know who I was, but there was this fire I saw in her that just grabbed me and wouldn't let go. She cusses me out and then storms off before I can say anything else. And then her son, who I thought was her brother, gives me the stank eye for looking at her the wrong way. I'm like okay then, I guess it ends here. Just when I'm thinking I'm never going to see her again, two hours later, bam. There she is, at my friend's workplace. And I'm like this is it. Ain't nothin' stoppin' me now. I'm not letting her go this time. I want her and I won't stop until I've got her…well, unless she tells me to fuck off, I guess. I remember going home after I gave you my number and hoping to God that you didn't chuck it in the trash or something."

Sasha grinned. "I'll admit, I actually considered it."

Chuckling, Joe's lips met her hair. "I know. I'm glad you didn't. Our first date was my first in years." When Sasha pulled back to stare at him, he shrugged. "I'd stopped givin' a shit and just fucked around. Hit and split. Whenever I had problems with whoever I was fucking at the time I would run to some other chick to take the edge off. That was my life for three years. Lather, rinse, repeat. After I met you, that changed. I realized I wanted more than that. Wanted better, and you were that for me. You were the first woman to ever stand up to me and I liked that. Even when you called me out on my motives, I took it as a challenge. I wanted to prove you wrong, and I enjoyed watching you slowly open up to me. I never thought about straying from you, even when we just got started. In the time we were separated I forgot that any other woman existed. I was only counting the minutes, the hours that passed by without you. I think I always knew I was in love with you, but that was the moment when it truly hit me. And it felt like nothing I've ever felt before."

The mother of two kissed her boyfriend's shoulder, inhaling his appealing scent. "A number of times in my life, I thought I was in love," she whispered. "Maybe it _was_ love. But now I'm not sure because none of it compared to how I feel about you." She never believed in fairy tales. Too much had happened in her life to put her faith in such silly fantasies. But this was damn near close to one. Joe, flaws, differences and all, was her Prince Charming, the man she'd dreamed as a little girl that would swoop in and sweep her off her feet. This Samoan Adonis had done all of that and more. She looked at him with tears and her heart in her brown eyes. "You've done so much for me, Joe. You have no idea how much better you make me feel about myself, how much more confident I am now."

Joe smiled softly. "That's the only way I ever want you to feel, baby girl. Beautiful. Sexy. Confident. Because you're all of that without even trying."

"We both got some baggage to get rid of though, don't we?" she asked, sighing deeply.

"We do. We'll help each other out with that every day." His eyes met hers, and again the look on his face was serious and reverent. "I know mine hasn't been the easiest to deal with, especially with my injury trying to revive those demons. You could have washed your hands off me but you didn't. You stood by me when I needed you, even when I thought I didn't. I brought you here to share this little time off with me and to show my appreciation."

And she'd felt every ounce of his appreciation, physically and emotionally, and loved every second of it. Touched, she clasped his precious face in her hands, staring affectionately at her incredible man. "And I thank you for it. For all of it. You know I'd do anything for you, baby. I love you so much," she replied earnestly.

Her gaze was tender and full of love that he couldn't believe was all for him. "I love you too. You mesmerize me, beautiful. No one's ever made me feel the way you do. Believe that."

Sasha broke down laughing. "You did not just say that!" she uttered incredulously. "You just used me to cut a promo," she added jokingly.

"Sorry," he answered sheepishly. "But you'll let me live because you love me, yes?"

"If we have sex in the Jacuzzi tonight, all will be forgiven."

Joe smirked and pulled her in for a kiss. "Deal."

* * *

Their last day, as agreed, was a relatively uneventful one. After Sasha surprised Joe with a lavish breakfast in bed, the couple hung out, talking and making out. Their final stroll along the beach turned into something more, the contrast of the white sand's coarse texture against Sasha's smooth skin, her moans blending with the rush of the tide was a memory that Joe would never forget. In the late evening they cuddled together on the patio, watching the sunset, serenaded by the sounds of the ocean waves and the cool saline breeze. Of course, it wasn't long before they were embracing, their lips finding each other's, leisurely lingering and caressing as if they had all the time in the world.

"I wish we didn't have to go back," Sasha whispered against Joe's lips, both arms around him as she curled up on his lap. "I want to stay here with you forever." This was one of the most unforgettable few days of her life. The stresses and strains of reality had been a welcome distant memory here on this idyllic piece of paradise and in the arms of her love.

"Me too, baby girl," Joe murmured, planting soft kisses along the column of her neck. It had been an amazing weekend. He was certain that he could remain like this, with her in his arms for the rest of his life and be a happy man. How had he ever existed without her? If he didn't know he was in love before, he did now. And he felt extremely privileged to know she shared his feelings. He had thought long and hard about their relationship these few days. He knew how he felt about her and how she felt about him. Although they'd been together for a relatively short time, he'd thought about taking it a step further. She had given him an idea of her own feelings though; that it was too soon. And perhaps she had a point. Maybe the time was not right yet. He was willing to wait, because the thought of their bond being jeopardized by his own selfish desires wrenched his gut. However, he could not end this trip without revealing the level of his commitment to her. She needed to know that he was serious about everything he'd ever promised her. "Sash?"

"Hmm?" Love shone in her eyes as she coiled a lock of his hair in her finger, reveling in the intense way he was looking at her.

He looked directly into her eyes as he brushed her cheek with his thumb. "I'm going to ask you to marry me one day, and I hope you'll say yes."

* * *

_**Oooh…**_

_**So…I know a few people expected something more direct (and there was another route being clamored for as well). If I picked any right away, ITDE would be over by now, and frankly I'm having too much fun with it. There's still a ways to go, and I hope you're not bored/impatient and you'll stick around. I appreciate your feedback very much and I feel you deserve the best and I'll try to give you the best. So patience, my loves. :)**_

_**Please review! :D**_


	41. Chapter 41

_**A/N: So President Panty Dropper is officially off the market. 'Scuse me while I go bawl my eyes out. *sniffs* For real though, happy for him and wish him all the best. The pics were beautiful. Super-jealous of the new Mrs. It's a coincidence he got married right after the events of my last update though, lol ;)**_

_**And how damn good did he look at the Slammys? That leather jacket again. I approve!**_

_**Thank you to **__Laterria2009, ChelleLew, too much drama 1225, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, ItsGbruhh, Guest, corbettluv, Bharm, Shield316, Alisi824, LuxuriaVanitas, Imagineer1392, nikki1335,DeeMarie426, Sasha, ItReignsJustice-619, Tammy, justkimmy, squawswarpath, benova13, CFierce116, princessreigns, IRENELOVE83, mitchy21 __**and**__ PNDreigns __**for the reviews. Glad you're all loving Jasha!**_

_**Enjoy 41. *clears throat***_

* * *

She wouldn't admit it out loud, but Sasha missed the hell out of Pensacola. Being back in the real world felt like she'd awoken from a four-day-long dream. She returned to the harsh reality of a stack of bills, the paint peeling from her leaky ceiling and a moodier than usual T.K. who was refusing to say what was bothering him this time. The joys of raising a teenager. Only a day ago she was stretching across a wicker chaise lounge like a cat, a Mojito in hand and a stunning view of the beach before her, without a care in the world. With her body still in vacation mode she did little, simply completing all the chores that needed to be done around the house. She then picked up her phone and hit the FaceTime app. She was yet to talk to her best friend since her return and wanted to check how she was doing with her pregnancy and all, perhaps go spend some time with her if she was home.

A minute later, Pam's face came up on her screen. She looked paler than usual and a little tired, but her usual gorgeous self nonetheless. "Sash my love!" she crowed. "I see you've rejoined us in the real world."

Sasha flopped down on the couch and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "That I have. You look good."

"Blech. I feel like shit. I think I've vomited all of my internal organs," Pam said dismissively, then wiggled her eyebrows. "You on the other hand look thoroughly fucked. President Panty Dropper went all Air Force One on your ass, didn't he?"

"You could say that," Sasha said coyly.

"Woo yes! Oh quit your blushin' and gimme details! Did y'all play Janet songs when you was fucking? That never fails to send the temperatures skyrocketing."

Sasha smiled slyly and proceeded to fill the other woman on her Pensacola adventure, from the places they went to the gifts he got her, with Pam threatening to come over and snag a pair of Louboutins for herself since they were the same shoe size. The fitness instructor nodded her head approvingly. "Ah, I'm so proud of Big Man. Taking good care of my girl the way she deserves."

"He has. He's been amazing," Sasha reiterated, feeling somewhat guilty that she hadn't told Pam everything. She deliberately kept Joe's words on their last night to herself. She didn't want to say anything just yet, not when she was still mulling it over herself. "So how are you feeling?" she asked, changing the subject. "How's pregnancy treating you?"

"Girl, ginger ale is my best friend now. I remembered it helped you with the nausea and it's the same with me," Pam said, pulling a bottle into the shot and sipping it through a straw. "I pee all the fuckin' time and my sense of smell is goddamn supernatural now. I think I can fuckin' smell your apartment from here. But on the bright side my tits are getting bigger already," she added, pressing her chest. "Maybe if I'm lucky they'll become as big as yours."

"Well, your vocabulary is more colorful, that's for sure," Sasha shook her head, "I don't want you corrupting my niece or nephew with your foul mouth. And what about Elgin? Have you talked to him? What did he say?"

"Well, it's not more of what he said than what he _did_…" Pam said, bringing her right hand to her mouth, her pupils shifting left and right.

Sasha's brows furrowed, not understanding at first. "What do you mean? Did what? What did he do?" Dread filled her stomach as she thought the worst. _That motherfucker…_

And then she saw it. Pam's fingers wiggling, a glint in the light that could only have come from a precious stone.

Sasha shrieked and her own hand flew to her mouth. "No way! He put a fuckin' ring on it!"

Giggling madly, the mother-to-be extended her right hand, showing off the sizeable diamond on her finger. "Yep. Gin proposed and I said yes! I'm getting married, Sasha!"

"Oh my god." Sasha was floored. She hadn't expected this at all. "When did this happen?"

"The day after you guys left for Pensacola. He went to London on business but went ring shopping as well. When he returned he took me out for dinner, which was absolutely amazing, and that's where he proposed and that's when I told him about the baby. He took the news very well, considering he wasn't sure about having kids before. Apparently he's wanted to marry me since Reggie's party!" Her smile was wide. "I wanted you to see the ring in person when you got back but you called me up and I couldn't hide it anymore. You're the only one who knows now. I waited for you so I could tell everyone else."

"Aw, honey," Sasha gushed, taking in her friend's giddy expression. "Not to sound like a party pooper, but you don't think it's too soon?"

Pam shook her head solemnly. "Not for me. I get what you mean though. We've only been together five months but babe, it's been the best five months of my life. I love him, Sash. I want to spend the rest of my life with him." She stopped, dabbing the corner of her eye as she began to tear up. "Oh, did I tell you I cry about everything now?" she laughed.

"Hormones, babe. Honey I'm so happy for you. You deserve all of this and more. And to think you almost set me up with him," Sasha giggled.

"I know right? Am I glad that didn't happen," Pam laughed.

"Totally agree. Elgin's a hot piece of ass but you can keep him. I'm doing just fine with my man," Sasha quipped. "Any wedding plans yet?"

"Not at the moment. I'm thinking I should pop the baby out first."

"If that's what you want," said Sasha. "Talk it out with your hubby-to-be and let me know, alright? Whatever you need from me, just ask."

They talked a little more, and Pam eagerly reminded Sasha to catch up with the latest episode of _Scandal_ before they said their goodbyes and logged off of FaceTime. Sasha remained stationary on the couch, deep in thought. How strange. Her best friend was now engaged, in the same week Joe had stated his intentions to marry her. And speaking of...That had been a truly surreal moment. She had said nothing back, at a genuine loss for what to say, and though neither of them had brought it up again since, it had yet to leave her mind.

Of course she'd thought about spending the rest of her life with him. He was an amazing guy. Their relationship was pretty serious. They had both come leaps and bounds from where they first were when they met. He treated his family and friends like gold and they had all warmed up to her and vice versa. But after he said those words to her, she'd felt a mixture of happiness and excitement along with some fear. Was it what he really wanted? Had he only spoken in the heat of the amorous moment? After all Joe was an emotional person and wore his heart on his sleeve. If she started asking the serious questions, how would he respond? Basically she wanted to make sure they were truly on the same page before they made it to that step. It was a given though, how compatible they were. They had a connection and a chemistry like no other, even with their age difference. But that was only the emotional aspect. What about the practical, more pragmatic side? How would he handle the nitty-gritties of such a drastic change in their relationship? Such as moving in, like he'd implied, with two kids. Raising an eight-year-old. Joe was still so young and had the world at his feet and it was no secret that his career was skyrocketing. He was away all the time, which she'd accepted long ago. But what if along the way she and her kids became his anvil? Holding him back? There was still every possibility that he could change his mind. Were they moving too fast just from the mere mention of the word 'marriage'? This was why she wasn't saying a word to anyone. There were a lot of questions in her head, and a lot of questions to ask him before they could get engaged.

_Engaged. To Joe. Wow._

There was a knock on the door. T.K. was probably back. He had a key to the apartment but he started knocking after the day he'd walked in on his mother and Joe in a hot and heavy make-out session on the sofa. She cringed at the memory but on a positive note he could have walked in on worse.

She unbolted the door and opened it. "You know, you don't always have to..." she began, but her words trailed away and her face sagged in disbelief and confusion at the sight of the person standing there.

Tyson Bridges leaned against the doorframe, his hands in his pockets. His eyes landed on Sasha's and he flashed her a dazzling smile.

"Hey," he greeted.

Sasha fought the urge to rub her eyes to check she wasn't seeing things. This was a joke, right? "What are you doing here? How did you find this place?" she demanded.

"Asked around," he answered with a shrug. "Turns out your kid is popular around here."

Her kid. Like she'd knocked herself up. "What do you want?"

Noting the suspicious look on his ex-girlfriend's face, Tyson exhaled. "Look, Sasha. I've been thinking a lot lately. About the way I've treated you."

Sasha raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah. So I thought about it and I uh, I decided I'm gonna help you out."

"Help me out," she repeated in a derisive, skeptical tone. Was she being Punk'd? Was Ashton Kutcher hiding around the corner somewhere?

He nodded, his handsome features contrite. "Yeah, help you out with T.K. like I always should have. May I come in? Please? I won't take up much of your time, I promise."

She eyed him critically, a scowl on her face. Her gut told her to slam the door in his face. But he was T.K.'s father and ultimately it was his duty to provide for his son and that was all she wanted. And if he had finally come to his senses then fine. Rolling her eyes, she stepped back for him to enter, crossing her arms as she watched him look around.

"So this is where you live?" he commented, holding back a laugh as he stopped in the middle of the tiny space. "Can't say I've seen worse."

"Did you come here to trash my house or are you gonna tell me what the fuck you want?" she said scathingly, already wanting whatever this was to be over.

"Girl don't be so cold. I just want to talk."

Sasha scoffed. "Ain't nothin' to talk about. If you wanna talk go home to your wife."

The elder Tyson ran his hands through his wavy hair awkwardly. "Yeah, well me and her…we ain't been doin' too good, ya know?"

Was he seriously expecting sympathy from her? "That ain't my problem," she said curtly.

"We used to be close, Sash. What happened?"

"You dumped me and pretended the child you put inside me didn't exist for damn near twenty years, that's what happened. Now are you gonna finally do right by your son or not? If not then there's the door."

Tyson licked his lips as he scanned her up and down. "I almost forgot how fiery you are. Forgot how much I liked that. Desiree's attitude gets on my nerves but with you for some reason…it was always a turn-on."

Sasha could not believe what she was hearing. "Are you being serious right now?"

"I miss you, Sasha."

Her jaw dropped, speechless.

"And I know you miss me too." He stared intently at her, trying to lock her down with that gaze that he'd used so many times to wrap her around his finger.

She blinked with disbelief and then made a derisive sound in the back of her throat. "I knew it," she muttered, shaking her head. "I knew this was bullshit. You ain't changed one bit."

"I know you're not over me," Tyson pointed out, stepping closer to her. "I know you still think about me. You never forget your first love."

That was true, she admitted to herself. And it was particularly difficult for her to forget hers when his spitting image lived with her. There was once a time in her life when she would lay awake in bed, thinking about the man currently standing before her, wishing one day he would change his mind and they, along with T.K. would become the family they were always meant to be. Now the thought of him even touching her made her skin crawl. "Letting you in here was a mistake. This is over. Get out." She strode past him to open the door to let him out when he grabbed her arm.

"But I just got here, sugar," he said huskily, eyes boring into hers.

Appalled, she yanked her arm away. "Get your hand off me. And don't ever call me that again," she warned, cringing at the use of his old nickname for her.

"Come on sugar, why you frontin' all of a sudden? You need this money, don't you? Haven't you threatened me with child support before? Well this is how it goes: You gotta 'help' me first, if you get me."

He lifted his eyebrows lewdly, and Sasha was disgusted. "I ain't gotta do shit," she shot back. "And why I gotta threaten your stank ass with child support when you know you oughta do the right thing for your son! You know what? I've changed my mind. I don't want nothin' from you and I don't want you here. Get the hell out of my house and never come back!"

He grabbed her again and yanked her roughly to him. Surprised by his aggressive behavior, she pushed at him. "Let go of me! Get off me!"

"Oh please. Quit actin' like you ain't no whore," Tyson sneered. "I bet you fuck your roided-up boyfriend real good, don't'cha? Now where's the bedroom? Let's see if you still as good as I remember."

"Ow! Tyson you're hurting me! Stop it! Get off me!" she said, struggling against him, but his grip was tight, almost painful. Panic exploded in her veins when he shoved her up against the wall and covered her body with his. Then she felt him grope her breast, and she lost it. "_Get the fuck off me!_" With all the effort she could muster, she shoved him backwards. In the same move her hand shot out, slapping him hard across the face.

Time seemed to stand still after that. She almost couldn't believe she had hit him but adrenaline had taken over, and the stinging of her palm told her it _had_ happened. Her chest heaved and her eyes were wild as she watched him turn back towards her slowly. Her stance remained defensive, expecting him to strike again. If looks could kill, he would be on the floor, dead. "Get out," she whispered.

Shifting his jaw to check it hadn't been dislocated, Tyson's lip curled with utter contempt. "Your boyfriend," he began, his hazel eyes twinkling with spite, all the smoothness in his tone seconds earlier now dripped with malice, masking the rejection he felt. "He about the same age as your boy, right? Never took you for the cradle-robbin' type. I bet you played hard to get with him too. Pretended you wasn't a slut. But we both know exactly what you are, don't we Sasha?"

She swallowed and sorely wished Pam was here. For some reason the mother of two always seemed to lose her nerve when it came to dealing with her son's father. Pam would have had no such problem; after all she'd beaten him up once before. But she wasn't here, so it was up to her to defend herself. "You bastard," she retorted angrily. "I'm not a slut and you know it! Robbie and Kyle started those fuckin' rumors about me because I cussed Robbie out for hittin' on me. I told you what he did and you didn't believe me. You ate it all up like the punk ass that you are 'cause you was tryna save face with your brain-dead soccer buddies. Then you got me pregnant and used that as your way out." Tears filled her eyes, but no way in hell would he see her cry. She pointed at the door. "Get the fuck out of my house! Now!"

"With pleasure. You ain't gettin' nothin' from me. The kid probably ain't mine anyway."

"Are you blind? He looks just like you!"

"I don't give a fuck. I never wanted him and I told you to get rid of him, but did you listen? Where's the money I gave you for the abortion anyway? You owe me two hundred and fifty dollars! But I'm sure you can get it back from your superstar boyfriend, huh?"

"Get out! Get the fuck out or I'll call the cops!"

Tyson simpered. "Look at you. Not too long ago you were at my job practically on your knees beggin' me for money, and now you act all high and mighty because you brainwashed some rich muscle-head to follow you around. Well good. Let _him_ deal with the kid. I don't care if y'all starve to death. I said this to your boyfriend and now I'm gonna tell you the same thing. That boy will become a problem for him and he's gonna grow tired of both your asses. Then he'll drop you like a bad habit, and you're gonna come runnin' back to me. _I_ had you first. Remember that."

Sasha took in his spiteful words as she stared at him, and all of a sudden it became clear to her. She realized what this was all about.

Tyson was jealous.

Of Joe. Of her. Of the fact that she'd finally found someone who actually gave a damn about her. She was finally moving on from him and he couldn't handle it. She would have found the whole thing hilarious if she wasn't so incensed by his actions. She started to respond, and nearly jumped out of her skin when T.K. suddenly appeared in the room. She felt her heart shatter at the look on his face and realized he had heard more than he should have. "Ty, baby," she squeaked.

T.K. stepped further into the room, brimming with barely contained fury as he stared at his mother. "You went to him, Ma? You went beggin' him for money?" he accused, looking at her with such disdain and disappointment that she was overcome with shame and wished the ground could open up and swallow her whole. A sob crept up her throat. "No baby…it was ages ago, I…"

Tyson puffed out his chest as he eyeballed his son smugly. "You don't look like you need no money. I see you started juicin' too. You look just like your mama's new fuck toy now."

"Shut up Tyson!" Sasha spat.

"You better get the fuck up outta here, old man," T.K. snarled.

"Baby!" Sasha exclaimed.

The teenager glared at her with blazing eyes. "What, Ma? You wanna defend him? You wanna beg him some more? We don't need him! I can make things happen on my own. We don't owe this ass clown nothin'!"

"He's still your father!" she admonished.

T.K. laughed snidely. "What father? This piece of shit? He's a fuckin' sperm donor!"

"What'chu call me, boy?" Tyson got in T.K.'s face, pointing at him. "You better watch your damn mouth-"

T.K. slapped Tyson Sr.'s hand away with such force the older man was rocked a few steps back. "Get your hand outta my face!" he roared.

"Stop it! Stop it right now!" Sasha cried, but it was to no avail as they lunged at each other. She threw herself between them and almost collapsed when something hard, probably an elbow, collided with the corner of her eye. White-hot pain shot through her entire face, but she didn't stop trying to pull the warring men apart. "Get off him! Leave him alone!" she screamed at the older Tyson, pushing him backwards.

Behind his mother's back T.K. was raging. "Who the fuck do you think you are comin' up in here! I'm the man of this house, motherfucker! If you ain't gonna man up and take care of your goddamn responsibilities I can make things happen on my own. I don't need you! Fuck you!" With that, he spun around and was out the door before Sasha could blink.

"Baby! Ty, where are you going? Tyson!" she called, rushing out the door after him but he had disappeared down the flight of stairs. Distraught, she turned to her ex. "Do something!"

Tyson brushed past her roughly. "Why? He ain't my problem."

* * *

T.K. stormed down the street, overcome with emotion, his blood boiling and his heart racing. Yanking out his phone from his pocket with trembling hands, he dialed a number.

"Yo Superstar, miss me already?"

But he was in no mood for jokes. "Turn around L," he hissed. "Come back. I'll explain later, just do it now." Without waiting for a response, he cut off the call and continued his march down the street where he knew his friend would turn up. A million things zipped through his brain, all of them bad decisions.

Lamar pulled up beside T.K. in his white Benz and rolled down the window. "You miss me already man? I only just dropped you off." he chuckled, frowning when T.K. yanked open the passenger's door and slipped inside, crossing his arms angrily. He could feel the anger radiating from his friend. "What's wrong?"

T.K. swallowed hard. "My punk excuse for a father showed up at my house." He shook his head, his fists clenching as his father's words burned in his brain. He turned his head to stare out the window. "Look man, I don't wanna talk about it. Just get me outta here."

"I'm sorry about that. I wanna say I know how you feel but I ain't never seen my father, so…" Lamar sighed, revolving the steering wheel with one hand as he turned the corner. "Where am I gonna take you though?"

"Wherever you want. I just don't want to be anywhere near my place."

"I get you, man," said Lamar. "But I'm actually heading to work."

T.K. stiffened. "Oh."

They turned another corner, the hip-hop song from the stereo filling the silence. "Wanna tag along?" Lamar asked after a while. "You could make some cash of your own tonight, ya know. Some real cash."

He went quiet for a long time as he thought it over. "Yeah," he said finally, nodding his head resolutely.

"You sure?"

T.K. bit his lip. He knew he shouldn't be doing this, but life was giving him very few alternatives at the moment. "Positive. Show me what I gotta do."

* * *

_**Told you Baby Daddy would be back.**_

_**Complete change in atmosphere, right? Kindly review, and feel free to kick my ass...or otherwise. :p Top to bottom reviews make me particularly happy :D**_


	42. Chapter 42

_**Happy New Year y'all! Hope the holidays went great. Back to updating again and I can't wait to get on with it. Big thank you to **__too much drama 1225, ChelleLew, Tammy, Ctinaisfashion, Bharm, 33, Guest, corbettluv, WWEbabe2442, justkimmy, ItReignsJustice-619, caz21, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, LuxuriaVanitas, DeeMarie426, mitchy21, Alisi824, nikki1335, Shield316, princessreigns, Olivia Reigns, IRENELOVE83, benova13, Violet Craine, Annabella __**and **__Katelin__** for the reviews. Special hug and kiss to each of you that constantly reviewed in 2014. I'm truly honored that you've all enjoyed this story so much :D**_

_**By the way…I've done a bit of editing and revamping for a number of ITDE chapters. Just wanted you guys to know, in case you're reading the story over again and wondering if stuff is different :)**_

_**The last chapter was a bit of a cliffhanger. Will we get answers by the end of this one? Enjoy!**_

* * *

Unaware of the chaos that awaited him, an upbeat Joe strolled down the hallway towards Sasha's apartment, armed with a box of red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and a spring in his step. He couldn't wait to tell her all about his productive first day in acting class. Perhaps from there he would be able to segue to the other reason he was visiting her; that he felt the need to clear the air about a certain conversation between them in Pensacola. He recalled the look of shock on her face when he mentioned the sacred M word. She had said nothing in response and very little afterwards. To be fair, he wasn't expecting an immediate response but now they were back home and it was relative silence from her end. Maybe he was being paranoid but he couldn't shake off the feeling that he had made things awkward between them. He hoped that wasn't the case. He needed to know they were fine and that they weren't on shaky ground because of what he said. The cupcakes would be a great conversation starter, especially as they were her favorites.

He knocked on the door to her apartment, startled the door flew open almost immediately.

"Ty!" Sasha exclaimed, her shoulders slowly slumping with disappointment when she saw it was only Joe, who stood there looking confused. "Sorry," she mumbled, stepping back for him to enter the apartment. "Thought you were T.K."

Pushing his sunglasses to the top of his head, Joe frowned at her unusual demeanor. She seemed jumpy and agitated and even panicked. Even more worrying was she looked like she'd been crying. Peering closely at her, his eyes narrowed. "What happened to your face?" he demanded, gingerly touching the corner of her left eye which looked swollen and bruised. His expression hardened. "Who did this to you?"

Lowering her gaze, Sasha shook her head. She'd tried to ice it down but obviously it hadn't helped much. "It's nothing. It's fine-"

"Don't gimme that shit!" he snapped, "That ain't nothin' and you're not fine. You look like you're expecting to get jumped or something." When she kept silent, anger began to well up within him. "Sasha, tell me what happened."

Gosh, he was flipping out already and that was not what she needed right now. Still, she took a deep breath and relayed the traumatic events that occurred earlier in the day. For all the despicable things her ex-boyfriend had said and even attempted, it was the look on her son's face that she couldn't get out of her head. The disappointment, the contempt. Like she had sold out for crawling back to his deadbeat father for help. It hurt her heart, her soul. If she could turn back time she would have stayed away from Tyson and continued to pretend like he didn't exist like she always had, if only to wipe away that horrid look T.K. had given her.

Joe listened to Sasha's story, growing more and more furious at the thought of that piece of shit putting his hands on his woman. "That motherfucker!" he fumed, pacing back and forth in the kitchen, his shoulders rippling angrily beneath his shirt. "I'll kill him! I'll beat his fuckin' ass!"

Sasha sat back down on the kitchen table where she'd been waiting for T.K. "Babe stop. It's not worth it."

"The fuck are you talkin' about? Look at your face! And why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

"You were busy, I didn't wanna bother you," said Sasha.

"Maybe I was, but you could have at least texted me," Joe countered, "It's been what, two, three hours since it happened? Why would you keep something like this from me?"

"Keep your voice down, Mia's in my room! And it wasn't like I set out to keep anything from you! Please don't overreact-"

"_Overreact?_ If I heard correctly your ex-boyfriend walked into your own home and tried to force himself on you! What if he-" he started to say, then stopped, refusing to complete the horrific thought.

"He didn't, okay Joe? He didn't. I stopped him," Sasha insisted, her head in her hands as fresh tears sprang to her eyes. "Please babe, I can't argue with you right now. T.K. took off and I don't know where he is. He's turned off his phone and I can't reach him and I have no idea where to start looking. I don't know what to do!"

Seeing how worked up she was, Joe ran a hand over his sleek hair and forced himself to calm down. Shelving his ire for the moment, he sat down next to her and rubbed her arm reassuringly, "Hey, relax. He's probably just cooling off somewhere," he said gently. "If it'll make you feel better, I'll wait here with you until he gets back."

Sasha wiped a tear from her cheek. "You don't have to do that."

"I want to," he asserted. "I don't think you should be left alone in the state you're in."

Sasha made a face as though she wanted to argue, but she gave in, flashing him a weak smile. "Okay."

Yeah, she was definitely acting weird. He chalked it up to her anxiousness. "It's okay, _nani_. He's going to be fine."

"But that's the thing, I don't know that."

"What do you mean?"

"Since I've been back he's been moody and he's refused to tell me anything," Sasha bewailed, her voice cracking. "I don't know what he's been up to while I was gone. You should have seen him today Joe…he was so mad. Like he'd been holding something inside him for so long and it finally just burst out. I'm his mother and I don't know what's going on with him." She sniffled, resting her head on the table in despair. "I never should have left. If I stayed home I'd have known why he's so angry and this wouldn't be happening."

Her voice was muffled but he heard every word, and they stung. He chewed the inside of his cheek and scratched his scruffy jaw awkwardly. He knew she was upset and emotional but he would have been lying if he said that the statement did not feel like a slap in the face.

Oblivious, Sasha dried her eyes and stood up. "Um…so do you want anything while you wait?"

"No. I'm good."

Pausing, she was surprised at his suddenly harsh tone, but she was more taken aback by the wounded expression on his face. And then she realized what she had said; how it must have sounded, and she wanted to slap herself. "Joe…baby, I didn't mean it like that," she implored.

"Sure," Joe muttered, crossing his arms, a deep frown on his face. Before she could say more to defend herself, the door to her room opened and Mia sauntered out. "Ty-Ty's not back, Mama?" she questioned.

"No, baby." She forced a smile for her daughter's benefit. "He's probably still with his friends. He'll be home soon."

"Okay." Mia clambered onto Joe's lap and peered at the box of cupcakes on the table. "Who's that for?"

Finally tearing his cold gaze away from his girlfriend, Joe plastered a smile on his face. "I bought them for your mom, little lady. You want one? I'm sure she'll let you have one if you asked nicely," he said.

"Of course you can, baby," said Sasha, opening the box for her daughter. As the little girl struck up conversation with Joe, Sasha looked on wearily, glad for the distraction but wondering how she was going to clean up the mess she just made.

* * *

It was well past one in the morning. Man, she was going to be pissed. If she was awake, that is. He hoped not. He entered quietly and shut the door just as noiselessly, not wanting to wake anyone up. He was glad his room was opposite the front door so he could dash inside without making a sound.

"Come here, Tyson."

He cursed under his breath. Locking the front door, he ambled slowly towards his kitchen, where his mother and to his surprise, Joe, sat at the kitchen table. Watching her rise to her feet, his countenance remained defiant and he braced himself for his mother's indignation.

"Where the hell have you been all night?" she demanded, checking her phone on the table for the time. "You left this house seven hours ago."

Averting his gaze, T.K. cleared his throat. "I was with Lamar," he murmured.

Sasha stared at him, digesting this information, and then nodded. "Ohhhhh. Okay. So you a man now, huh? You're gonna start sellin' dope," she accused.

"Why not Mom! We don't have anything!"

"Are you crazy? You should be concentrating on school, not running around with that good for nothin' boy!" Her gaze zeroed in on the object in his hand. "What's in that bag? Gimme that." Before he could react, she snatched the schoolbag from his hand and unzipped it. The first thing she saw was a rolled-up wad of fifty dollar bills, and she forced down the bile crawling up her throat. She couldn't even bring herself to touch it. "What's this? The money you made tonight, sellin' all that crack and weed? Huh? Are you out of your damn mind?"

"Lamar makes three large every other week, do you know that?" T.K. argued. "You've been working your ass off for years and how much do _you_ make? I'm busting my ass, trying to get good grades and get me an athletic scholarship from them snooty-ass schools and what do I get? Nothing! I'm tired of it!"

"And this is your solution? You think if they heard you been involved with drugs they'll want anything to do with your punk ass?" Sasha shot back, her voice rising with anger. "I told you to stay away from Lamar and you disobeyed me. So if you think you too good for my rules, if you wanna sell dope, then you best get the hell outta my house."

T.K. blinked. "What?"

"Are you deaf? I said get out of my house!" She threw his bag back at him with brute force, and T.K. barely caught it as items spilled out of the bag onto the floor. He gawked at his mother, horrified. "Where am I supposed to go?" he asked.

"I don't care! I've done my best by you, I know I've tried. But if you wanna become a drug dealer, you wanna make 'three large every other week' too, you go right ahead. There's the door. Pack your shit and get gone."

"No, Mom, I'm not going anywhere!"

"No child of mine is gonna sell dope! Not under my roof, you hear me? I ain't gonna sit in here waitin' to hear that you got killed!" she shouted, tears spilling down her cheeks as memories of her ordeal with Cliff swam through her mind. "I won't put myself through that again. No way."

"Mama, please!"

Joe, silent all this time, stepped forward. "Sasha-"

"Stay out of this!" Without looking at him she threw her hand up in his face, then pointed at T.K. "You made your choice by defying me, boy. You better be prepared to live with that choice."

"No Mom, if I leave you then I'll be leaving like all them other dudes that used you and left you alone," T.K. argued.

"Well guess what, honey? I'm used to it." Stalking over to the door, she threw it open and glared at him. "Get out."

"What about Mia? She's gonna ask about me," T.K. said, desperate now.

"You leave her out of this," she spat. "And you better pray to God you haven't woke her up or I will more pissed off than I am now. Leave, Ty. I don't wanna see you or that blood money in my house again."

T.K. stood rooted to the concrete floor, his face streaked with tears. Tentatively, Joe stepped past his girlfriend and over to her son, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Go wait for me in the car," he instructed, handing him the keys.

Surprise and hope washed over the boy's features as he gazed at the older man, before he finally took the keys and did as he was asked. Once he was gone Joe refocused on Sasha. Gently taking hold of her upper arms, he said, "Look, I know you're angry and you got every right to be. You both need some space from each other right now. I'll take him home for the night so you can cool off, and then bring him back tomorrow. Is that okay with you?"

She shrugged, brushing her hand underneath her eye as she glanced away. "Do whatever you want. I don't care," she said angrily.

"If you didn't care you wouldn't be feeling the way you feel right now." He watched her for a long moment. "Get some sleep, okay? Clear your head. I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, he walked out the door, leaving her alone in the middle of the tiny apartment. Sasha hugged herself as more tears streamed down her face, breathing shakily as she tried to figure out what to do with herself. Her tear-filled gaze fell upon the papers that had fallen out of T.K.'s bag, causing a mess on the floor. Bending down, she sifted through them, half-expecting to discover more money or even a bag of illegal substances. Among the litter was an envelope with the logo of a University. Curiosity got the better of her, and withdrawing the letter inside, she opened it up and read the bold caption at the top:

_FINANCIAL AID DENIED_

* * *

Pushing open the front door to his house, Joe ushered T.K. inside. "You can stay with us tonight, let your mom calm down," he said kindly. "Jon's got the guest room but you can sleep in mine if you want." It was moments like these that Joe wished he'd furnished the two other bedrooms in the house but he was never around to get to it.

"That's okay. I'll take the couch," said T.K., going over to the sofa and settling down on it. He paid no notice to Jon who shuffled into the living room, his short hair disheveled. Joe smirked at his friend. "Can't sleep?"

"Nope." He halted as he scrutinized T.K., noticing the devastated expression on his face. Joe cast him an "I'll explain later" look, and the Cincinnati native shrugged and went to set up the Call of Duty game on the X-Box, grabbing the controllers and handing one to T.K. "Wanna play?"

T.K. shook his head, staring blankly at the TV, his knees drawn up to his chest. "Not really."

Watching him for a beat, Jon dropped the second controller and went about playing on his own, keeping the volume down since it was late. "Wanna talk about it? I won't lie and say I'm a great listener, but I try."

For a moment the teen was quiet. Then, exhaling heavily, he launched into the story. Joe had disappeared and returned with a pillow and blanket. Handing them to T.K., he sat on the teenager's other side, listening to him talk while watching Jon shoot up everything in sight. T.K. ended his narrative with another deep breath, waiting for someone to pass judgment on him.

"Do you know I've been arrested before?" Joe said, following several seconds of quiet.

Surprised, T.K. turned to him. "What happened?"

"Disorderly conduct. I was a Georgia Tech freshman, a frat initiation gone awry. Luckily we weren't formally charged otherwise I'd have a record by now. Unfortunately my dad found out about it, and I learned the very hard way that I'm never too old to get my ass whooped by my pops."

"I never knew that," said T.K., awestruck.

Joe chuckled. "Well, it ain't somethin' I like to broadcast to the world. But I'm very aware that it could have screwed up my future ambitions in a big way." He faced the teen. "Look, I won't sit here and lecture you because you grown. You know what you did and you know why it made your mother so angry. It was a reckless decision and you coulda gotten seriously hurt or worse. Maybe your friend hasn't filled you in on the violent side to the business but more often than not, it tends to get real bad in a hurry. And then where would that leave your mom? Mia? Everyone that cares about you, us included," he said, gesturing between himself and Jon.

Eyes fixed on his hands, T.K. willed away the resurgent tears. It was bad enough that one of the men had already seen him cry tonight. "I was just looking for a way to take care of them, that's all," he defended. "That was all it was. Mom doesn't like when anyone else does stuff for her because she's so proud. She doesn't want to be seen as a charity case. She's been toiling and laboring for so long on her own and it's all my fault."

"Why would you say it's your fault?" asked Joe.

T.K. blew out a shaky breath. "I've never told anyone about how bad I always feel."

"About what?"

"Existing."

Had he not been sitting beside him, Joe may not have heard him. "What?" he said, puzzled.

"If I hadn't been born, Mom would have finished high school," said T.K., his voice smaller than ever. "She'd probably have gone to College and been whatever she wanted to be in life. But she was so occupied with raising me and taking care of me that she put everything else in the backburner. I derailed her hopes and dreams. She'd be in a much better situation financially if it weren't for me."

Joe was stunned to hear this. "That's not true, T.K. You can't blame yourself for what she went through."

"Maybe. But I can't help it. I'm probably always going to feel that way. My father keeps using me to taunt her and I don't know how she doesn't resent me."

"You know, your pops reminds me of mine," Jon spoke up for the first time. He looked neither fazed nor appalled by a word the teenager had said. "Total douchebag. Couldn't stand the fucker. Never around, didn't give a crap if I was dead or alive. I was dead to him, and vice versa. I think that's the only thing we agreed on, to stay out of each other's way."

Beside him, T.K. sat up straight. Jon went on, his blue eyes fixed on his gameplay as he spoke. "My mom was no different. Never had a problem humiliating me or telling me what a big fuck-up I was at every opportunity. Left me to fend for myself while she was running around the city with her flavor of the fuckin' week. Paints a great home picture, doesn't it? Your mom is the total opposite. You and your sister are all she talks about. She loves you to death and would take a bullet for you. She's there for you always, not to mention she's providing security and stability. I know people that would kill for a relationship like that. There's nothing more valuable than the unconditional love and respect of a parent, and there's nothing more important than returning that love and respect. I know how you feel, kid. I get it, trust me. But you crossed a line by throwing your mom's rules in her face. You disrespected her, and the only thing you should be thinking about now is how you're going to fix that. And you _have_ to. There's no room whatsoever for argument because she deserves that much. The rest can be solved later. And that's all I gotta say about that."

Joe cut his gaze back to T.K., who nodded reverently. The kid looked up to Jon, and the Samoan knew he would take his Shield brother's words to heart. "You made a mistake tonight," said Joe. "But we all make mistakes. Owning up to them and stepping up afterwards is what truly matters, and it's what will matter to your mom."

"I will apologize to her," T.K. stated resolutely. "But I need her to know that I'm gonna do whatever it takes to take care of her, to protect her and my sister. Because I know in the end when it comes down to it, I'm the one who will always be there for her, who will never abandon her like everyone else."

Again, the statement was not made maliciously, but Joe had a sinking feeling that it was somewhat directed at him. Having no response to give, he simply patted T.K.'s shoulder.

Jon shook his head vigorously and shuddered. "Are we done with Sappy Hour now? I swear I felt some of my masculinity drain from me a minute ago."

Laughing a little, T.K. nudged the older man and leaned back on the couch, watching Jon's game and feeling slightly better. Beside him, Joe watched half-heartedly, the loud sounds of mayhem and destruction on the TV drowned out by the thoughts crashing around in his mind.

* * *

The next morning Joe pulled up at the familiar building complex, with a nervous T.K. in the passenger's side. He couldn't blame the kid. Who knew what mood his mother would be in after last night? Sasha's face was expressionless when she opened the door to the apartment, making T.K. even more nervous. She seemed to have calmed down but he couldn't really tell, and he had to tread lightly. "Mama," he greeted meekly, his entire being wracked with nerves.

Her features remained stoic. "Go inside."

He obeyed without a word, disappearing inside his bedroom. Sighing heavily, she leaned against the door frame and looked up at Joe. "Hey," she said softly. "You okay?"

"Yeah." His answer was stiff. "You?"

Crossing her arms, she glanced back at the door to her son's room. "Been better."

He glanced over her shoulder into the apartment. "Take it easy with him, alright? He's been beating himself up about this."

Nodding slightly, she met his eyes, noting the frostiness in them. "Joe, I said some things to you last night-"

But Joe shook his head. "This ain't about me, Sash," he replied flatly. "It's about your son. You two need to work things out. We'll talk in due time."

"Okay." She leaned towards him to kiss his cheek but he had already walked away, heading for the staircase. Dismayed, she stared after him, and remembered there was a bigger issue to deal with. Joe would have to wait. She shut the front door and entered her son's room where he sat nervously on the bed, with Mia next to him resting her head on his shoulder. Sasha went over to the little girl and gently ruffled her hair. "Baby, could you give your brother and me a minute alone?" she asked.

"Okay, Mama." She could sense there was something wrong but said nothing as she quietly exited. T.K. stood up before his mother, his eyes fixed on the ground in shame and remorse. She observed him, crossing her arms. "I found the financial aid letter from one of the schools," she stated, her tone much softer than he expected it to be.

He dared to meet her eyes again, and for the first time he clearly saw the bruising above her left eye. Swallowing down his guilt, he nodded. "That was the third one. Three applications and all of 'em rejected. I was angry, Ma. How am I gonna get into College? We barely get by at home and the bills pile up every day. I do see them Ma, no matter how much you try to hide them. And then that excuse for a sperm donor shows up here and thinks we should kiss his ass before he helps us? It's so unfair."

"We could have talked about this."

"Talking's only gotten us so far, Ma. Plus you've been with Joe and you've been happy lately and I didn't want to ruin that for you."

"Tyson, Joe knows that you and Mia are the most important people in my life, and he's accepted that. I thought you and I agreed to trust each other. That we're a team and you can come to me for anything. But you went off with Lamar instead. How do you think that makes me feel?"

"I know Ma, I do. I'm just tired of struggling and seeing you struggle to provide for me and Mia and keep this family together and I wanted to do something about it. I went about it the wrong way, but I was doing it for you. You've sacrificed so much for us." Chastened, he averted his gaze again, his voice trembling. "You deserve a better life than this. You deserve better than me and I'm sorry."

Those words ripped her heart clean in two. Closing a hand around the back of his neck, she forced him to meet her eyes. "Don't you ever say that again. Ever," she said fiercely. "Listen to me carefully. I couldn't have asked for a better child because you're the best, Tyson Kendrick, the absolute best. I wouldn't trade you or your sister for the world. I love you both so much and all I want is for you to be and safe and healthy and successful and ultimately, happy. I told you I'll work this all out and I will. We still have some time. I can get loans, I'll sell off the gifts Joe gave me-"

"You can't do that. He gave you those gifts," T.K. said sternly.

"I know that, but I have no problem doing that for you is the point I'm trying to make. Anything is better than going down the road you went last night. That can _never_ happen again, do you understand me? It can't." Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke. He probably didn't remember the details about Cliff, didn't know what he had been put through. He was only a little boy then. "I've seen firsthand what that business does to people. I can't lose you too. I need you, Ty."

Overwhelmed by emotion, he launched himself into his mother's arms. "I'm not going anywhere, Mama. I love you so much and I'll never let you down again." Falling asleep the night before had been difficult as he came to terms with his rash actions. That he had brought his mother to tears, just like his father had, just like Cliff – yes, he remembered him vividly, and the only reason he didn't hate the man outright was because he gave him a little sister – broke his heart. All he wanted was for her to be proud of him, to trust him, and he betrayed her. He vowed to make it up to her for the rest of his life. He would never make her cry again.

Moved, Sasha kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly. "I love you too, sweetie. It's not the end of the world. We're gonna be alright. I promise."

* * *

_**Phew. Interesting things said by many people in this update, especially T.K. whom I've admittedly grown so fond of :') Thoughts? My special new year present would be lots and lots of (hopefully positive) feedback. Wink wink.**_

_**Enjoy the rest of the holidays, loves! Mwah!**_


	43. Chapter 43

_**Aaaand I'm back.**_

_**Thank you to **__mitchy21, LuxuriaVanitas, Ctinaisfashion, caz21, Tammy, Bharm, ChelleLew, 33, WWEbabe2442, corbettluv, benova13, nikki1335, DeeMarie426, fenner82, ItReignsJustice-619, Shield316, Olivia Reigns, princessreigns, justkimmy, IRENELOVE83__** and **__Violet Craine__** for the lovely reviews. I can't say enough how much I love reading them (and getting ideas from them too, lol). Thanks guys!**_

_**Enjoy 43!**_

* * *

For the millionth time Sasha looked at her phone, hoping to find a text message or a missed call or any form of contact from her boyfriend, and for the millionth time there was nothing. She'd texted him with apologies and pleas and called his number several times but there was no reply whatsoever. It was clear that he was avoiding her. He was still angry and he had every right to be. But he was being unfair! She made a mistake and owned up to it and yet he was punishing her for it. The only thing she could do was wait till he calmed down. She decided to give Jon a call while she was on her coffee break at work. The least she could do was find out if Joe was doing okay.

"Sash. What's up?"

"Hey Jon. I hope I'm not calling you at a bad time. I've been trying to reach Joe. For some reason his phone keeps saying it's switched off." She tried to sound as casual as possible.

"Oh yeah. I know he's mentioned having problems with his phone. I can go get him for you if you want so you can talk to him," said Jon.

Sasha's brow furrowed. "Wait, he's with you in Vegas?"

"No, not Vegas. We're in Charlotte, North Carolina. He's scheduled to be on Raw tonight." He paused, sensing unease. "He didn't tell you?"

"No," Sasha said through gritted teeth. "I haven't heard from him in three days."

"Oh." Jon winced, immediately realizing something was wrong. "We've been very busy since we got here. I'm sure he just forgot," he offered.

She was sure he didn't. "Yeah. Probably. Could you ask him to give me a call when he can?"

"Will do. Later Sash." Ending the call, he looked over to see Joe walking his way. "Dude, why haven't you spoken to your girlfriend in three days?"

"You two callin' each other now?" Joe said, narrowing his eyes.

"She called me because she couldn't reach you." Jon frowned at the look on the bigger man's face. He'd seen that look before, and the insinuation was enough to boil his blood. "Do not fuckin' look at me like that, I will drop your ass where you stand. I don't know what's going on between you two and it ain't my business. Stop being a tool and call her and fuckin' leave me out of it." With that he brushed past the Samoan roughly and walked off. Joe watched him leave, deciding he kind of deserved that. Sighing heavily, he withdrew his phone from his back pocket. He might as well get it over with.

"Joe?"

Hearing her voice only reminded him of why he was angry with her. "Expecting someone else?" he sneered.

She ignored the cutting remark. "I've been calling you and sending you messages. You haven't answered a single one," she said.

"I've been busy."

Again, brusque and concise. "Baby I told you I was sorry. You don't have to put me through this silent treatment crap."

"Really? Last I checked you're the one who's been keeping quiet about stuff," Joe challenged.

"Joe, please."

"Let's face it Sasha, you've been acting weird since we got back from Pensacola. I scared you with the marriage talk, didn't I?"

"You didn't scare me. You just gave me something to think about is all," she admitted.

"Is that why things have felt awkward between us ever since? You could've at least said something; that you were uncomfortable, that it was too soon, anything. But you don't say a word and I have no idea what you're thinking or how you feel. And then the shit happens with your ex and you don't tell me about it. And to top it all off you basically blame me for taking your eye off T.K. Thanks Sash, I really appreciate that."

"I didn't mean it like that! I know it was shitty but that wasn't my intention. Come on, Joe."

"Well it sounded exactly like that to me," said Joe. "So you're calling up Jon behind my back now? Though I shouldn't be surprised since you seem to be talking to everyone except for me."

"Last I checked, Jon and I are friends," Sasha retorted. "I called him because you weren't taking my calls and I wanted to know if you were okay. Obviously you're okay enough to completely ignore me and leave town without telling me."

"You didn't tell me about Tyson so why do I have to tell you everything I do? Especially when you don't trust me?"

"I never said I don't trust you!"

"Fine. Tell me this then. If I hadn't shown up at your place that night, would you ever have told me what Tyson did?"

Her prolonged silence told him everything he needed to know, and he felt his heart crack afresh. "I thought not," he said bitterly.

"Baby…"

"Joe, can we talk?"

Sasha frowned at the new voice at the other end of the line. A female voice. "Who is that?" she demanded. It sounded suspiciously like that blonde tramp. "Who the hell is that, Joe? Answer me!"

Exhaling, he rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I gotta go."

"Joe!" But all she could hear was a dial tone. Sasha lowered her phone and stared at it in disbelief. This motherfucker did not just hang up on her.

"Hey Sash! Could you get the cable for the karaoke machine out of the store?" Reggie's shout from outside jerked her out of her shock. Composing herself, she stashed her phone away and stood up. "Gimme a minute!" she answered. She retrieved the object and returned to the bar.

Reggie peered at her when she walked past him. "Hey, you okay?"

"I'm fine." She went back to work, ignoring the stinging in her eyes.

* * *

Thrusting his phone back in his pocket, Joe pushed himself off the wall. "Ain't nothin to talk about, Danielle."

The blonde Diva cast her eyes toward the ground. After a few moments she cleared her throat and lifted her gaze back to his. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what happened back at your place," she said, "I wanted to apologize but you haven't given me the chance."

"Don't need your apology," he mumbled, wishing he wasn't so upset.

"I take it that was her on the phone?" Danielle asked softly.

"None of your business."

"Look, if you're not happy with her you don't have to-"

"For fuck's sake Danielle, mind your damn business!" the Samoan snapped, glaring at her. "I don't know what you're playing at, but I have no care to go to anyone else and I sure as hell have no care to come to you. Okay fine, I got my hands on virtually every female talent in this company and I'm sorry if you or Natalie or whoever else I didn't fuck feels left out. But I'm done with that. I love Sasha. So back the fuck off." Rolling his eyes, he turned to leave.

"You loved Andrea and look how that turned out," she murmured.

Joe turned on her so fast that she shrieked in alarm and flinched, stumbling into the wall behind her. Blazing grey eyes bored into frightened blue as the Samoan towered angrily over the blonde woman. One look in his eyes had her shrinking further into the wall. She had said too much.

"You ever bring her up again, I swear to God you'll regret it," Joe snarled in a deep, dangerous voice. He'd never laid a violent hand on a woman in his life, but if she pushed him any further he would make her an exception without any regrets whatsoever.

Swallowing fearfully, Danielle raised both hands in surrender. Joe growled nastily and stormed off, feeling the primal urge to hit something really hard. But he had to force himself to perk up as their meet-and-greet was starting in a couple of minutes. Settling in his position at the long table, he cast a glance down the row of Superstars. Natalie and Danielle, far away from him, kept looking his way but they didn't dare come near him. He vaguely wondered if Danielle ever told anyone about getting dragged by Sasha, and could only imagine the interesting way she would have spun the story. She used to be a nicer person in the past. Whatever changed her was beyond his knowledge.

"'Sup Reigns?"

Joe looked over at A.J. Lee sliding into the empty chair beside him. "Hey April."

She looked past him down the long table of Superstars and at the two staring Divas. "I noticed those two have stopped trying to hump your leg. They've got bored with you, then?"

Joe shrugged. "I guess so."

"You've obviously moved onto greener pastures," A.J. smiled. "I haven't told you yet, big man, but you moved up higher in my cool books when I heard you were dating an older woman. Honestly I don't blame you. Let's be honest, chicks our age have no substance anymore. And I like Sasha, she's cool."

He smiled. "I believe she likes you too." April was one of the very few Divas Sasha was cool with, even with the knowledge that she was one of his many previous flings. Perhaps her being married had quelled his girlfriend's fears of a repeat between the two.

"How is she anyway? You two were so lovey-dovey when she was around. It was super cute." April grinned at him. "Never thought I'd see the day Casanova Reigns would be head-over-heels for anyone."

The remark left a bittersweet sensation in his chest. As much as that was the truth, he found himself, for the first time since he started dating Sasha, wondering if it had been a one-sided sentiment all along. Shaking his head, he pushed his estranged girlfriend to the back of his mind and focused on the fans, signing autographs and taking pictures. A lot of the ladies at the signing laid it on thick with the flirting, some slipping him their phone numbers, as though they sensed all was not well in his love life, and again, for the first time in a long time, he took notice of all of them.

Was he only just realizing he was in over his head with Sasha? Was he wasting his time with her? All he wanted was her trust but that seemed too much for her to give in return. She was as guarded as a fortress. What was the point of being in a relationship if the trust was lacking?

It would be so much easier to give her up, wouldn't it? To slip back to his old ways, frolic around with women his own age whose biggest problems were what color of nail polish to use on their toenails. Women still hit on him on the daily, and with his relationship seemingly on the rocks, was he getting closer to the day he finally stopped turning them down?

His cheeks finally got a reprieve from all the fake smiling when he retreated to the back for a break. He obliged Josh when he asked to accompany him to the parking garage. Perhaps the walk would help his clear his head a little. Leaning against the car while Josh rummaged around inside, the Shield member glanced idly around the parking garage. His grey gaze landed on a figure climbing out of a long UPS truck. A familiar figure, as it turned out. Upon closer inspection, his blood went cold, unable to believe his eyes.

Tyson. Sasha's ex. All the way up here in Charlotte.

He remembered Sasha mentioning he was some long-distance truck driver. He also remembered the nasty bruise he'd left on her beautiful face, the ordeal he'd put her through, and it was enough to melt his curiosity into pure rage. Without a word he propelled forwards, moving in long strides as he stalked towards the man.

Josh poked his head out of the car, realizing he'd been left alone. "Uce, where you goin', man? Uce?" he called out. "Joe!"

Joe kept walking, his massive hands clenched into twin fists as he neared the object of his wrath. He'd dreamed about this very moment and he would not be denied. "You put your hands on my girl? Huh?" he roared, his deep voice echoing off the walls. "You tried to _rape_ her?"

The loud yell caught Tyson's attention, and his eyes widened. "The hell are you doin' h-"

His question was viciously cut off by Joe's fist smashing into his face. There was an ugly cracking sound, and blood shot out of Tyson's nose as his head snapped back, stumbling backwards into the side of his truck and landing on the floor in a heap. In a flash Joe was on top of him, laying into the smaller man with closed fist after closed fist. All he saw was red, bleeding over the mental image of Tyson lewdly pawing his woman, compounding his fury and frustrations. The anxious animal inside him had been unleashed and had no plans to return to its cage, not until he'd exacted his revenge and defended the honor of his love.

"Joe what the fuck!" A shocked Josh rushed over, grabbing Joe's arms and forcibly dragging him off Tyson's prone body. "The hell are you doin'? Do you wanna get fired?" Managing to push him back, the Uso twin winced at the look on his cousin's face, twisted in an expression of cold rage that he had never seen before. He looked around and was relieved to find no witnesses, being on the other side of the building and away from the fans.

"You put your hands on her, tried to force yourself on her, you fuckin' lowlife!" Joe shouted at Tyson over Josh's shoulder. "How 'bout you try that shit with me? I'm right here motherfucker! Come get you some!"

On the ground, Tyson gingerly touched his bleeding nose. "Fuckin' shit," he whined. "Fuck."

Breathing hard, Joe pointed a trembling finger at him. "I'm only gonna say this one time. _One time_. You ever touch her again, I'll kill you. You understand me?"

"I'm gonna…gonna press charges," said Tyson.

Joe scoffed. "Go right ahead. I'm sure the cops and your wife would love to know exactly why I bashed your face in, punk ass motherfucker!"

Josh tugged Joe's arm. "Come on man, let's go. You've done enough."

Not nearly enough. Wiping his hands on his jeans, he spat at the ground next to Tyson. "Do it, bitch. I dare your ass. Come anywhere near Sasha or T.K. again and see what I do to you." With that, he shrugged Josh off him and marched back towards the signing, having made his point in the most emphatic way possible.

* * *

A day later, Sasha was staring at the photos on Instagram, her heart twisting in her gut where it had dropped from her chest. Joe, sitting between Colby and April. Him and April leaning in close and grinning as they shared a private joke. He looked happy. Sasha was aware of his past with A.J., and though she knew the girl was married now, it didn't stop her heart from wrenching. Marital statuses didn't always deter co-workers from fooling around. She almost wouldn't blame him if he did. She could only imagine how tired he must be of all her uncertainties and insecurities and now the drama with Tyson and T.K. She was afraid this would happen. Tyson's prediction was coming true; that she would lose Joe, probably for good. But she could not sit back and let it happen. Tyson was wrong and she would prove him wrong.

Picking up her phone, she sent a text message to Trinity. After a couple of exchanges she learned that the WWE crew was now in Chicago. Sasha had never been to Chicago – she'd never been _anywhere_ to be frank – but circumstances were inspiring her, bringing her to the decision that she was going to take this chance. That she _had to_.

T.K. and Mia walked through the door, their voices ringing around the apartment with famous wrestling catchphrases. "_You can't see meeee!_" Mia chanted, waving her hand in front of her face.

"Too easy. Cena," said T.K. "_Ooh yeah, brother, snap into a Slim Jim!_"

"Macho Man. _Whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on youuuuu!_" Mia chirped.

"Hogan. Nice impression, Baby Pie," said T.K. giving his sister a high-five. "Okay, okay, I got a good one. _If you're not down with that, then we got two words for ya!_"

"Do not finish that," Sasha warned.

"Mama you ruined it!" said Mia.

"Let's boo her," T.K. said, and the siblings rushed over to their mother, booing loudly and thumbs-downing her from both sides.

"Alright, alright, shoo," she said, waving them away. "I take it school was good?"

"Yeah," said Mia, and T.K. nodded in agreement. "Two weeks till the Championship final. Practice has been awesome. I can't wait," he grinned.

"That's real good to hear, baby." She watched her son bustle around the kitchen looking for a cold bottle of water. "Hey Ty?"

"Yes Ma?"

"I wanna go to Chicago tomorrow."

T.K. could guess why. "Joe's there, right?"

"Yeah. I'll only be gone a couple of days, three tops. Is that okay with you?"

"Of course. I'll hold the fort down for you, you know how I do," he said, kissing her cheek. "You know, I'm kinda getting used to you zippin' in and out."

"Ty-"

"Oh relax Ma. I don't mean it like that. You can't be stuck here in Tampa babying me and Mia all the time." He extended his hand and gestured dramatically. "Be free, explore the world. Have some fun and be with your man." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "I know I would if I were in your place. Heck, you'd be seeing me only once a month."

Sasha laughed, feeling better instantly. "Thanks, baby." She picked up her phone again and texted Trinity.

_Hey girl. I need your help._

She had never ever done this for any man, ever. But she was willing to swallow her pride this time and fight for _this_ man. She'd hurt him, and if it meant groveling to get him back then so be it. Because Joe was worth groveling for.

* * *

"You're daydreaming again."

His friend's voice broke Joe out of his reverie. He looked up from his bottle of beer and into two sets of curious eyes. "What?"

Colby leaned back in his seat, scrutinizing the man sitting across from him in the tiny booth. "You got your Sasha Mopey Face on."

"My what?" His stony expression dissolved into one of confusion.

"Your Sasha Mopey Face," Lauren, leaning against Colby, piped up. "We all came up with it when two of you were apart. You'd space out and we could tell if it was Sash on your mind by the look on your face. You start pouting and you get all dewy-eyed, and that's how we know you're thinking about her." She looked at him over the glass of wine she was sipping. "It's adorable yet pathetic at the same time."

The Powerhouse of the Shield stared at his friends, completely perplexed. He opened his mouth, then shut it and shook his head.

"Dude, talk to her. I don't like when you guys fight," said Colby, speaking up to be heard over the music and bustle of the dive bar. "They're few and far between but you get so damn miserable it makes my own heart hurt. I prefer it when you make up quickly like you always do."

"Wanna talk about it?" Lauren asked.

Joe sighed heavily as he aired his grievances to two of a handful of people he trusted the most. Both their jaws dropped when he mentioned his altercation with Tyson days before. "Honey, that was some risky shit," Lauren said. "You could've been caught!"

"Seriously," Colby added.

"I don't give a fuck. He tried to force himself on Sash. Ain't no way he was gettin' away with that bullshit," Joe argued. To this day he didn't know how Tyson happened to be there when he had, but in Joe's eyes the gods had presented him with a gift and he had no qualms accepting it. He would do it all over again with great pleasure. Whether it was in Charlotte or Tampa or the Himalayas, he would have hunted Tyson down.

"Dude, you're lucky Josh was there is all I got to say about that." said Lauren. "And back to the matter. Give Sasha a chance. She's been handling her business by herself since her son was born. You've been in her life a lot shorter than that. From what you tell me and from what I know about her, she's guarded. Pam is the only person she fully opens up to. The only explanation I have is she feels she has too much drama for you to handle, that's why she kept what happened to herself. She doesn't want to scare you away. No matter how much you say you don't mind being with her kids, even with a baby daddy within arm's reach, she's always going to have that nagging voice in the back of her mind telling her otherwise. Not many men stick around, and now that she's found one who wants to, she's trying to come to grips with it. It's not easy for her, Joe. It takes longer for some people to adjust than others."

"And that's why she's the psychologist," said Colby, gazing proudly at his girlfriend.

"Yes, darling," Lauren cooed, then refocused on the Samoan. "Stop ignoring her. Talk to her and tell her how you feel. She loves you, big man. This is something you can both work out together so do it and quit sabotaging this amazing thing you have."

Joe sat quietly drinking his beer, contemplating his raven-haired friend's words. A couple of minutes later Trinity appeared at their booth. "Joe, Big Johnny said the office dropped a package for you or something in your room. Something about wanting feedback first thing tomorrow, so you might need to go check it out right now."

Joe sighed, finished off his beer and stood up. "Might as well call it a night. See you guys tomorrow." As he made to walk away, Trinity gently took his arm. "Hey. Are you okay?" she asked, concern in her dark eyes.

Joe flashed her a reassuring smile. "I'm good, sis." Giving her a kiss on the cheek, he exited the bar and made the lonely walk back to his room. If he had turned around, he would have seen Trinity exchanging thumbs-ups with Colby and Lauren, their plan set in motion and going well so far.

It was a little colder in Chicago than usual, and he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. He missed the warmth of Tampa, and he especially missed the warmth and softness of a certain curvy, caramel-skinned body, a certain pair of arms and soft lips. He exhaled heavily, mentally preparing himself for another restless night alone.

His steps slowed as he approached his hotel room door. He could swear he could hear music coming from inside his room. He recognized the song. 'The Scientist' by Coldplay. One of his favorites. Puzzled, he slotted the key card and opened the door.

_Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry  
You don't know how lovely you are  
I had to find you, tell you I need you  
Tell you I set you apart_

Standing by his bed in all her radiant beauty was Sasha. The bed itself was stripped down to the white sheets and had the words _I'm Sorry_ spelled out on the sheets with rose petals. She wore a black t-shirt that had the words _'Kiss Me, I'm Stupid'_ emblazoned in green on the front.

_Nobody said it was easy  
Oh, it's such a shame for us to part  
Nobody said it was easy  
No one ever said it would be so hard_

Joe was stunned. "Sasha...What are you doing here? How did you..." He trailed off, at a loss for words.

Raking her fingers through her hair, Sasha's smile was nervous. "I came to see you." She held up something in her hands. "I brought sushi," she said, tentatively walking up to him. "Trinity directed me to a sushi joint in Chicago, apparently it's the best one. I got you the biggest plate because you like your sushi in big portions. And I got only salmon cuz you don't eat the other ones as much."

He smiled without wanting to. Apparently, _this_ was the package Trinity was referring to. "Didn't know you noticed my sushi eating habits."

"Yeah, well I, uh, notice everything about you," she said softly as he took the sushi from her, watching him stash it in the mini fridge. Her heart sank when his smile faltered and he averted his gaze. "Baby, please. I don't like it when we fight," she pleaded.

"Then why do you make us fight? Why don't you trust me, Sasha?" The look he gave her was so full of hurt and pain that Sasha felt it in her bones.

"I do trust you. I just didn't want you involved in my baby daddy drama. You have other things to worry about like your recovery. You don't deserve to get caught up in my mess."

"That's all fine and dandy. But when your baby daddy tries to sexually assault my woman and bruise her then I got every right to be involved," Joe countered. "You should have told me right away."

_My woman_. Maybe there was still hope. "I should have. And I'm sorry I didn't. I'm sorry you had to see that stuff with T.K. too. He and I have never fought like that before. I guess he's getting older and I have a feeling it won't be the last time it happens. I'm so sorry."

"What exactly are you sorry for? T.K. making a mistake? You performing your duties as a mother?" Joe asked.

Sasha bowed her head. "I kicked him out."

"Do you know how many times my mom threatened to kick me outta the house when I was a kid?"

"But did she actually?" she challenged.

"No. But that's not the point. You act like you're doing things that are taboo and unheard of. There's nothing wrong with taking drastic action when the situation deserves it. And there's nothing wrong with spending time away from the kids either. I may be young but I understand some of these things. You're a great mother and everyone knows that, especially T.K."

Her cheeks burned from the glowing remark. "Thank you. And the other things I said…Baby I say stupid shit when I'm upset. We had a magical time in Pensacola and I shit all over it. You must think I'm such an ungrateful bitch. I've been told a few times in my life that my big mouth will be the end of me."

Joe said nothing further. He kept his hands in his pockets and his expression was unreadable. Sasha breathed deeply and pressed on. "I heard you on the phone with Danielle and I saw those photos of you with April at the signing...I know there's nothing between any of you anymore but…Joe, I love you. I'm so sorry I hurt you. You're probably at your wit's end and want to be done with me and my baggage but don't. Please."

Several seconds ticked by. "It'd be easier for me to break up with you, wouldn't it?" he stated, "For us to go our separate ways?"

Time stopped. The air rushed out of her lungs. She felt like she'd been punched in the gut. It seemed he had already made up his mind. Stunned, she lowered her head, tears brimming in her eyes. "I don't think so," she admitted, "but…if that's the way you feel…" This was it, she thought. They were over. Her coming all this way had been for naught.

"And yet, I can't do it. Because the thought of being away from you makes me sick to my stomach."

Her eyes darted back up to his, filled with hope. Joe came closer, his expression softer as he gazed down at her. "Baby girl, I've made it clear that you're a part of my life now. All I want is to be a part of yours. I wish you could see that."

"I do," said Sasha. "This is still new for me, Joe, having someone care so much for me and wanting nothing in return."

"I know. Me too," said Joe. "I'll admit I probably went too fast with the marriage thing. It must have been a lot to take in. I have a bad habit of putting people, not least myself, under pressure."

"You were only letting me know how you felt," Sasha replied, taking his hands in hers. "But it does blow my mind that you see this big picture with me; that you want a future with me. I just don't want you to regret it," she confessed. It was almost terrifying how vulnerable he made her feel.

Squeezing her hands gently, Joe met her eyes, "I knew what I was getting into when we started dating, baby, and I'm still here. I think I'm at the stage where I'll only walk away the day you tell me you don't love me anymore."

Smiling, Sasha shook her head. "I don't see that happening any time soon."

"Hopefully, never." He walked with her to his bed and sat down, guiding her onto his lap. "Look, let's slow down and drop the caveat. Keep this as pressure-free as possible."

She nodded. "We have time, baby. That's all I'm saying. There's a lot we still have to learn about each other and we're still adjusting into each other's lives."

"I know. You just know that I tend to know what I want, and what I want is you." He kissed the top of her head. "I beat up your ex, by the way."

"What are you talking about?" Staring at him, she gasped, eyes wide. "You mean Tyson? What?! Joe!"

He shrugged, his expression hardening. "He was in Charlotte, wearing some dopey uniform coming out of a truck. Saw red, kicked his ass. Would have done more if Josh hadn't stopped me."

"And what, all of this happened in public? Babe! That was reckless! You coulda been arrested. He could press charges!" she said, suddenly worried.

"He threatened, but he won't dare. Not if he wants his crazy wife to find out what he did to you." He smiled proudly. "Ain't gonna lie though, bustin' him up felt damn fuckin' good."

Sasha couldn't help but laugh at how calm he sounded. "You crazy."

"Crazy for you, baby girl." Wrapping his arms tighter around her body he looked deep into her eyes. "No one messes with me or mine. No one. I protect my queen no matter the cost."

Warmth flooded her entire body at his sweet words. She laid her head against his as he cradled her, sighing blissfully at the feel of his hand stroking her belly.

"Your T-shirt is hittin' on me," said Joe.

She tugged the shirt lightly with a giggle. "Looks that way."

His thumb made its way up to trace her bottom lip. "That's alright. Cuz I really wanna kiss you right now," he told her.

She felt her heartbeat accelerate at the look in his eyes. "You know you never have to ask, handsome," she whispered, right as he laid his lips on hers in the softest, sweetest kiss imaginable. It was fresh air in her lungs, breathing new life and purpose into her. All was forgiven, and now they could kick on with their relationship and try to strengthen it some more. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too, _nani_." He gazed at his girl as he tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. "You know, no woman I've dated has ever flown halfway across the country to see me," he pointed out, moved by her actions tonight. It couldn't have been easy for her, so for her to do it spoke incredible volumes.

Caressing his chiseled cheek, Sasha smiled. "I'm glad I did it. And I'd do it all over again for you, baby."

* * *

_**Phew, so a LOT went on in this. Thoughts? Bored yet? Hope not. Please review! 800 please? I promise to update faster. *crosses fingers***_


	44. Chapter 44

_**A/N: For those who were reading Dangerous Lines, I had to take it down. Wasn't happy with it. Sorry :(**_

_**Thanks to**__ Imagineer1392, 33, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, Bharm, Tammy, nikki1335, ChelleLew, corbettluv, benova13, LuxuriaVanitas, fenner82, ItReignsJustice-619, Guest, CFierce116, Shield316, DeeMarie426, Alisi824, Sasha, justkimmy __**and **__IRENELOVE83__** for the AMAZING reviews!**_

_**So glad to be finally uploading this chapter. It's been ready for weeks, just needed appropriate placement lol. I put up a story album for ITDE on my profile. I really enjoyed making it and I hope you like it. :)**_

_**Enjoy 44!**_

* * *

A lazy yawn slipped from between Joe's lips as he turned away from yet another Joffrey Baratheon rant on the TV screen to glance towards the kitchen. "_Nani, _what are you up to?"

Sasha was settled at the kitchen island with her back to the living room, Joe's MacBook in front of her. "Checking out the Grill's new website," she replied. "Why? You lonely over there, baby?"

"Kinda. And them tiny-ass booty shorts are callin' my name."

Sasha laughed and took a drink out of her carrot juice, one of the few healthy drinks Joe had introduced her to in the course of their relationship. They were back in Tampa and things had returned to normal between them. Today she kept him company at his home while he rested after another grueling morning of rehab. "Gimme a minute. I'll be right there."

"Or I could come over there." He got up from his recliner and strolled over to her, stealing a sip of her drink as he looked at the laptop screen. "You took these?" he asked, gently rubbing her shoulders.

Sasha nodded, scrolling down the web page. "Yeah. We set up a lot of displays and I took shots of all of them and put the best ones up on the site. It was tough trying to narrow a hundred shots down to thirty though."

"They're nice. You're quite good, you know. Josh and Jon's pops really liked the photos you took of him and baby Brandon at Reggie's party," Joe said, bringing a grin to his girlfriend's face.

"Tell him I said he's welcome." She leaned back and moaned softly at he continued to massage her shoulders. He was amazing with his hands. "Mm. Don't stop doing that."

He kissed her cheek and whispered, "I prefer hearing those words from that pretty little mouth of yours when you're naked."

Laughing, she tipped her head back to glare at him upside down. "You turn every innocent conversation into something else, perv!"

Joe chuckled and pecked her lips in the upside down position, his right hand slipping slowly down her body. "You like me that way."

"That's because you've corrupted me," she said, casting her eyes down to watch his fingers flick open the button of her denim shorts. She tried to finish her thought. "You're a bad influence, Leati."

With a satisfied smirk, Joe rubbed his palm over her panties, relishing the feeling of her wet heat against the cotton fabric. "You make my name sound so sexy."

"Yeah?" she breathed, stopping cold when he slipped a digit inside her. "Oh shit," she gasped, throwing her head back against him. Licking her lips, she moaned and then grunted as he crooked his finger back and forth inside her, stroking her like he was dipping into frosting. "Ahh…"

He pursed his lips against her throat, her heavy breathing music to his ears. "You like that, baby girl? Does that feel good?"

She started to respond only for her words to dissolve in a gasp as another finger plunged inside her. She spread her legs wider, planting one on top of another chair, then grabbed his wrist with both hands to guide his hand at the pace she wanted. There was little time for intimacy lately because he was busy with rehab, and Sasha hoped they could make up for lost time tonight since she was sleeping over at his, albeit with the kids as well. Joe's low, lustful growl rumbled against her neck, and she sighed once more, her body awash with heat as his fingers gently probed her while he worshipped her neck, and soon her lips, with his mouth. God, his tongue felt so good.

The jarring sound of her phone ringing broke through the mounting haze of passion. "Don't answer it," Joe murmured against her lips.

She didn't want to, but the ringing became persistent, and eventually she was forced to break the kiss with an annoyed sigh. "It could be important," she reasoned, reluctantly removing his hand and sitting up to grab her phone. "Shit, it's Mia's school calling." Instantly worried, she placed the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hi, Sasha? It's Juliet. I was wondering if you were on your way to pick up Mia. Pam hasn't shown up yet so I figured one of you is running late?"

Sasha expelled the breath she'd been holding. No one was injured. Good. But she inwardly smacked herself for completely forgetting that Pam and T.K. had hectic afternoons so neither could get Mia. "Pam can't make it today. I'll be there soon to pick her up."

"Okay. If you could hurry that would be great. Everyone leaves school in half an hour," Juliet said.

"Alright. Thanks Juliet." She hung up and smacked her forehead. "That was the secretary at Mia's school. Shit, I completely forgot about Pam's appointments! T.K. has practice and now Mia's stuck in school. What's wrong with me?"

"I can go get her," Joe offered.

"Really?"

"Sure." He was already picking up his car keys. "I know where the school is. Mason Hill Elementary, right? It's no big deal. I can get T.K. too if you want."

Sasha shook her head. "No need. He won't be done for another two hours. But he knows his way here so it won't be a problem."

"Cool. I'll go pick up Mia then."

"She'll be in the Principal's office when you get there. Just tell Juliet that you're from me. By the way, please make Mia sit in the backseat. You know how she is. She'll hustle for the front and I never like it when she sits in front. She's so small and it doesn't feel safe for her to sit there. And make her buckle her seat belt, please."

"Yes ma'am," he smirked.

Sasha smacked his arm. "Do not call me ma'am. Ever."

Joe laughed and tossed the car keys in the air. "Call the school back and tell them I'm coming for Mia. I'll pick up pizza and wings for dinner."

"Okay." She smiled as he bent down and gave her a kiss, the kind that made her toes curl and made her feel feminine and beautiful and loved. He pulled away and winked. "I love you. See you in a bit."

"I love you too." It was hard not to worry, but she forced herself to relax. She was the one who handled everything, so seeing him step in to help willingly was, though a little strange, very heart-warming.

* * *

Joe drove down the road, glad that Sasha had allowed him to do this. He knew it was never easy for her, giving up control, but she was proving her trust in him, which made him all sorts of happy.

It was odd walking into an elementary school for the first time in twenty years, bringing back memories he would rather do without. He had only been an average student, quiet and shy. No fangirls had been digging on him in the fourth grade, and he recalled a painfully unrequited crush on a girl named Cara. But that was a story for another day.

Joe pushed open the office door and found Mia sitting on a chair talking to a blonde woman in her twenties with a tag dangling from her neck that indicated she was a staff member. Giving him a wave, Mia picked up her backpack and went over to him. "Hi Joe!"

"Hi, little lady," said Joe, their fists meeting for their special handshake. "How was school today?"

"Good. Where's Mama?" Mia inquired.

"She's at mine, sweetheart. She's busy at the moment so she asked me to come get you."

"Okay. We're staying over at your house, right? Can I go swimming in your pool?"

"Of course you can. I bought the Mario Kart game so we can all race each other on the Wii. All after you finish your homework, of course," he quickly added, figuring it was something Sasha would say.

"Cool. We made friendship bracelets in Arts and Crafts class today with wood beads and elastic." She wiggled her right arm adorned with a number of beaded bracelets. "I made one for Mama and T.K. and you too."

Joe blinked slowly. "Me?"

"Yeah. Here." She pulled one off her skinny hand and rolled the black beads onto his bigger wrist. "I used dark beads for yours and T.K.'s so they won't look girly."

He didn't know what to say. "Wow, little lady…this is awesome."

Mia smiled, then smacked her forehead. "Aaaand I forgot the rest of my Art project in my class. I'll be right back."

As she dashed off, Joe stared at the new piece of jewelry on his right wrist. It wasn't the most masterfully crafted piece of work he'd ever seen, but the fact that she'd taken the time and effort to make one for him made it more precious than any expensive trinket he would ever own. He was never going to take it off.

"That's really sweet."

Joe turned to the woman with the name tag who was watching him intently. Perhaps she was a fan and recognized him. He cleared his throat. "Yeah. Sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Joe and I'm here on Sasha Morgan's behalf. Do I need to do anything or can I just grab Mia and go?"

"No, it's perfectly fine. Miss Morgan gave us a call." She smiled brightly. "I'm Whitney Clark. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Joe eyed Whitney Clark, noticing how she smiled and flipped her blonde hair back.

"The handshake thing was really cute too. Is she your niece?" she asked, an obvious attempt at small talk.

"No." Joe kept his answer short and to the point without sounding rude. "You're one of her teachers?"

"I'm the school's assistant Secretary." Another smile, and this time she leaned closer to him. She zoned in on his bare ring finger. "You're a big guy. Are you a pro athlete or something?"

Not a fan, then. "Yeah. I'm a wrestler."

"Oh. That WWE stuff, right? Interesting."

Yeah, definitely not a fan. He looked around, wondering what was taking Mia so long. He was getting the "come hither" bedroom eyes from Whitney and he wanted no part of it. She was uncomfortably close now, and her smile grew even sweeter. "So, just out of curiosity…are you seeing anyone?"

"He's my mom's boyfriend." Mia materialized out of nowhere, not-so-subtly inserting herself between the two adults, and Joe saw the little girl give Whitney a stank eye that had her aunt Pam written all over it. "We're staying over at his house tonight and we're gonna go swimming in his pool and play Mario Kart. Right Joe?"

Joe grinned, liking the way the kid thought. Mia was obviously feeling territorial and that pleased him a lot. "Right," he said to both Mia and Whitney.

"Oh. That's nice." Whitney faked a smile.

Mia looked at Joe. "I'm ready now. Bye, Miss Clark." Without waiting for the woman's response, she slipped her arm around Joe's much bigger one and led him out of the building. She proceeded to talk about her day at school, her tone cool and casual as though she hadn't just called out a woman thrice her age. But to do what she did, to mark her mother's territory on her behalf, left Joe with a very satisfying feeling and a fresh wave of affection for the little girl he'd fast become attached to.

* * *

Dinner was an interesting spectacle. After an enjoyable round of swimming – in which Sasha refused to participate and ended up getting splashed mercilessly for her troubles – the four of them feasted on pizza and wings on the living room floor. T.K. and Joe exchanged cynical glances as Sasha and Mia debated over who was the better boyband between the Backstreet Boys and One Direction. Joe complained as Sasha kicked his ass at pool like she always did, but he got his revenge by beating her at Mario Kart. It was a fun evening overall; that seemed to be the running theme whenever the four of them spent time together.

"What time is it?" Sasha yawned, meeting Joe in the kitchen island after the kids had gone to bed in the guest room downstairs.

"Little after midnight," Joe said, switching off the lights and plunging the entire house into darkness, save for the lights underneath the kitchen cabinets. He drew his girlfriend into his arms, dipping his nose in her coconut-scented hair as she wrapped her arms around his waist. They stood in the middle of the kitchen, enjoying the silence together. "Today was nice," said Joe, his voice muffled in her hair.

Sasha nodded. "Yeah, it was," she replied, looking up at him. "You cheated at Mario Kart, but it was great."

"You're such a hater," Joe taunted. "I beat your ass fair and square every time."

"Yeah right. You kept distracting me! Either nudging my arm or killing me with that stupid blue shell!"

Joe tsked. "Excuses, excuses. Just admit I'm a better racer than you."

Sasha rolled her eyes and grinned, watching him look at his new bracelet with a smile on his face. "So Mia made this for me," he announced, flicking his wrist.

The pride in his voice made her heart swell. "She did," she said, tracing her boyfriend's goatee with her finger. "She cares about you. Talks about you a lot."

"I care about her too," Joe replied, pressing a quick kiss to her nose. "And her brother. And her mother."

"We know," she smiled, the hairs on the back of her neck standing at his suddenly intense stare. "What?"

"Nothing, just thinking," he began, his voice much huskier than a second ago, "About finishing what we started this afternoon." His hands slid from her back to her backside, and the mother of two felt a sudden spike in her body temperature. "Here? But what about the kids?" she said.

"They're fast asleep. The house is big enough. There's little chance of us being heard or interrupted." He gently backed her up against the counter, and Sasha felt her loins moisten when his tongue swished hungrily over his lips, his ash eyes dark and deep and filled with tantalizing promise. She caressed his huge biceps, popping out through his tank top, taunting her, begging her to lick each of them. She wondered if it was natural to be this sexually attracted to one man. He was in an adventurous mood and honestly the idea was exciting. The thought made her chew on her bottom lip.

Uttering a low growl, Joe grabbed her chin between his fingers. "You keep doing that and I'm gonna bite off your lip," he warned.

Well damn, he was using that commanding, dominant tone of his again. "You don't know what you do to me when you talk like that," she said, right as their mouths collided in an urgent kiss, tongues clashing aggressively, hands grasping eagerly. Sasha scavenged his mouth with hers, demanding more of his addictive taste. His soft lips were a drug that she could never resist. A sharp gasp escaped her as he made good on his threat, nipping her lower lip hard with his teeth. The small of her back dug into the edge of the kitchen counter, but the pain was wiped away by his body smothering hers, the sensation of his hot mouth roaming her mouth, jawline and neck. He dropped to his knees, pushing her t-shirt up to lay soft kisses on her abdomen. His tongue laved the new piercing on her belly button. "This is so hot, baby girl. I love that you got it," he commented.

"Thanks," she said shyly, watching him hook his fingers over the top of her shorts and pull it down along with her underwear. With effortless swiftness, he propped her right leg over his shoulder, pushed his face against her center and penetrated her with his tongue. Crying out in pleasure, she quickly bit her lip to suppress any more sounds. She could be loud sometimes and the last thing she wanted was to wake the kids up. But man, was it difficult with the havoc currently being wreaked on her body. As the pressure from Joe's mouth increased, his huge hand molded her ass, his warm breath fanned her inner thigh, his tongue finding every crevice of her core and every drop of her essence. Then his long fingers invaded and the sensations nearly destroyed her. "Fuck!" Sasha's jaw dropped, tossing her head back and lowering it again. "Jesus, Joe, you're really fuckin' great at this."

He simply hummed in response. The Samoan was ruthless and yet generous at the same time. He kissed her folds the way he would kiss her mouth with his thick, luscious lips, then alternated with long licks and quick laps of his talented tongue. Sasha was gasping, her hands desperately gripping the counter behind her. Her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to fight for control but Joe was having none of it. "Look at me," he instructed gruffly.

"Baby…"

"Look at me Sasha, or I'll stop."

"No!" Her head snapped forwards, locking eyes with him, and the knowing, mischievous look in his ash-colored irises spread another wave of desire through her like wildfire.

Joe smirked. "Good girl." And from there, holding her gaze, he started doing the most delicious things to her, seducing her juices out of her pussy lips with his fingers and tongue. Slow, then fast, until she lost the ability to speak or think or do anything other than moan in encouragement. She grabbed the back of his head, holding him firmly in place as her hips began to roll, grinding into his face with desperation, not stopping until she reached her orgasm. And man, was it good. Good and long and hot and intense, made even more incredible by his warm, persistent tongue lapping up her essence. "Mmm, my tasty pussy," he whispered. "So sweet every time."

Sasha slumped against the counter after he was done licking her clean, weak-kneed and struggling to catch her breath. "Please tell me you got a condom with you," she panted.

"You know I'm always prepared, beautiful." He pushed her legs apart to expose her to him, and the vision before him made his groin ache. It amazed him every time how much he wanted this woman. Standing back upright, he pulled off his pants, then stroked inside her again. Sasha watched him spread her essence over his length with pure exhilaration in her eyes. "Yeah, lube that big dick with my pussy juices, babe."

An amused smile tugged his lips. "You got a dirty little mouth, don't you, baby?"

"Well, like Tyson said," she shrugged one shoulder, "I got a slutty side to me."

The Samoan groaned. "Now why you gotta bring that fool up when we about to fuck."

"Sorry."

"Nah, be sorry for _him_. Talking like he know what's up. He clueless as a motherfucker. When he knocked you up, he got lucky. He don't know what to do with a woman like you. _I_ do, and in case you've forgot, I'm gonna give you a little reminder."

Ooh, she'd inadvertently fired him up. That was good. For her. Sasha made a show of rubbing her temples. "I think I have amnesia, baby. I don't remember a thing. Please remind me."

His grin widened. "With pleasure. Turn around and spread those legs for me, baby." His hands met her waist to encourage the movement. Sasha didn't hesitate, turning and placing her hands on the cool, black marble surface. The sound of a condom packet being ripped open caused her delicate loins to clench in expectation. Joe licked his lips as he traced the softness of her thighs, her rounded hips and supple backside, all inviting and mouth-watering as she bent over. He grasped his cock and slapped her naked ass with it, and Sasha moaned in response, her entire body alight with heat and longing.

"This fat ass, shakin' in my face all night, teasing me." His voice was rough and hungry. "You think I didn't notice? I notice everything about you too, _nani_." He dick-slapped her ass again and rubbed the stiff aching length in between her plump cheeks, bending down to nip her earlobe. "And you are _my_ slut. No one else's." He knew how good she was at playing a slut, but it was all an act, an act just for him. That was the difference and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Coming from Tyson, the word had made her feel dirty and disgusting. From Joe, it sounded like the most amazing compliment ever. "Yes. Your slut." She thrust her butt impatiently against him. "Now quit fuckin' around and put that dick in me."

Ah, she was just as riled up as he was. This was going to be fun. "Since you asked so nicely…" Positioning himself at her entrance, he entered her in one smooth stroke. Sasha moaned and her entire body quivered. He thrust good and deep, liking the way his abs bumped against her ass, enjoying her little whimpers as his thickness stretched the moist heat of her walls. "Damn babe, your pussy is so fuckin' wet," he stated and bent down to suckle her neck, reaching inside her T-shirt to cup her breasts. He caught a glimpse of her face; her eyes were closed, her kiss-swollen lips parted as she enjoyed him inside her. He knew he hit her spot whenever her eyelashes fluttered and her heavy breathing actually stopped, her mouth open in a silent cry. "Uhhh," she said when she remembered how to breathe, "Fuck, babe."

"That's right slut, take that fuckin' cock in your tight cunt." Joe rumbled fiercely in her ear, his long fingers twisting her nipples, his hips pumping pleasure through their half-naked bodies.

Sasha twisted her upper body to stare down her lover. "Spank me."

His eyes lit up. "You want it rough, baby?"

"Hell yeah. Smack my ass like the dirty little slut I am," she said gruffly, grinding said body part against him. She wasn't sure where her depraved behavior was coming from but she was so turned on she could barely think straight. She needed him, badly, and could only function after she got what she needed.

Grey eyes glazed with excitement, Joe brought his right hand down on her ass cheek. The sound echoed in the darkness, her supple skin bouncing from the impact. She purred with satisfaction and circled her hips again. "Do it again," she ordered.

Man, it was so fucking sexy when her voice got all breathy like that. He smacked the other side and pressed, groaning when her pussy clenched his length hard in reaction. "You like that, you slut? Like me smackin' that fat ass?" Another spank, and her walls squeezed him again. The fact that she enjoyed a bit of pain and aggressiveness with her pleasure was a big turn-on for him. It kept him on his toes when they made love and he liked that very much. His large hand closed around her neck, and Sasha whimpered as he tightened his hold a little, hot, delicious sensation stirring in her lower belly. "Yeah big boy, fuckin' choke me," she said, her hand spanning over his. "Choke your slut."

Smirking at the euphoric expression on his woman's face, his tongue darted out provocatively over the seam of her parted lips. "Such a filthy little mouth. I love my dirty MILF."

"Love you too, baby. Now shut up and make me come," she whispered back, hushing him by shoving her own tongue into his mouth.

Moaning, harsh breathing and naked flesh meeting naked flesh resonated around the open space. The prospect of getting caught perversely added to the thrill of their escapade. Joe decided to switch things up, lifting Sasha's left knee and placing it on the countertop, opening her wider to him. Pressing her body down against the cool surface, he shifted his hips to thrust into her from a different angle, and was rewarded with an expulsion of air followed by, "Fuck yeah! Right there, right there." She was trapped between the hard surface of the countertop and his big body, his hand in her hair and the other one squeezing her ass cheek; both her feet off the floor, unable to do anything except endure every inch of his deep, surging thrusts. She tried not to scream outright as he seemingly lost all control of his hips, drilling her throbbing pussy with reckless abandon. "Shit! Yes yes yes Joe, fuck me!"

Driven mad with need, Joe rode Sasha hard, a husky groan slipping from his lips as each wave of ecstasy grew more incredible than the last. Sasha couldn't hold back any longer, crying out with pleasure as she constricted almost painfully around him. It was one curse after the other from her as he rammed into her pussy from behind, the friction between them growing more slippery from her gathering moistness. Joe knew that she was close just like he was close. "Come for me, baby girl," he said roughly, tightening his grip on her hair. "I want that pussy cum all over my cock. Do it."

His deep voice was an irresistible caress she felt all the way to her toes, a command her body could never disobey. She screamed as the orgasm ripped her apart, rendering her weak and helpless and a trembling mess on the countertop. Behind her his movements intensified, his moaning culminated in an animalistic roar as he let go, pulsing deep inside her. "Oh my god, _nani_." Spent, he fell on her back, leaning heavily on her and breathing hard into her hair. Sasha wriggled underneath him, forcing his numb self to move to avoid squashing her with his weight. Sasha was sad when he withdrew from her, instantly missing his heat. Gingerly – and surprised that she could move at all – she sat upright on the counter and buried her face in his chest, planting a kiss on the broad expanse as he caressed the back of her head. "God that was risky," she said, a tinge of terror laced in her sultry little giggle. "You think we woke 'em up?"

"Nope. Stop panicking." He pressed his lips to her forehead, then carefully dispensed with the used condom and gathered their pants and underwear on the floor. Sasha put on her shorts and grabbed her boyfriend before he could walk off. Her lips wrapped around his resolutely, her tongue darting out to taste his. Lust, awe and adoration clouded her eyes as she caressed his face.

"You are definitely the best dick I've ever had," she whispered.

Joe grinned and kissed her again. Hard. "Ya damn right. Now come on, let's disinfect this table."

* * *

_**I'm a pervert, aren't I? Lord help me, lol. It's not filler, I promise. I just feel Sasha deserves some good loving after 8 barren years. But I'll work on toning the smut down.**_

_**I can officially confirm we are heading towards the end of ITDE. I literally have about 8 chapters left in the tank, 10 tops. Thought you should know, and trust me when I say I'm not looking forward to it. :(**_

_**By the way, relating to Sasha and Mia's little debate, One Direction are not fit to even tune Backstreet's microphones. Pfft. No brainer. #BSBGroupie4Life**_


	45. Chapter 45

_**Big hugs to **__PNDreigns, princessreigns, too much drama 1225, CFierce116, Tammy, Guest, Bharm, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, LuxuriaVanitas, Imagineer1392, mitchy21, nikki1335, corbettluv, Shield316, DeeMarie426, Alisi824, ChelleLew, benova13, fenner82, ItReignsJustice-619 __**and **__IRENELOVE83 __**for reviewing. Your feedback and support are so uplifting. Thank you guys.**_

_**Song choice for the first half of this chapter is "Love You Down" by Ready for the World. The lyrics are perfect for Jasha IMO.**_

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Joe lay on the narrow bed with his tattooed arm behind his head, gazing openly at his girlfriend. He could watch her for hours. She wasn't doing anything more than cleaning up her bedroom, but it was the graceful way in which she did it that turned him on. He looked her over from head to toe and felt his lips turn up in a smirk. She walked around barefoot in the sexy satin pajamas she'd worn especially for him; a green and black camisole and matching tiny shorts that hugged her butt perfectly. Her hair was high up on her head, and he could still see the little love bite on her neck that he'd given her the night before in this very bed, recalling how much she'd enjoyed that moment of him marking her. He couldn't believe it sometimes; that he'd finally found a woman that ticked all the right boxes. He loved how strong their relationship was despite their ups and downs; loved how in sync they were, to the point that both always knew when something was bothering the other person. Like right now. She didn't seem to be focused on what she was doing. She liked to clean and tidy up stuff like a typical mom, liked to ensure everything was neat and organized, so her sad expression seemed out of place. "Baby, what's wrong?" he asked.

Slightly startled, she looked at him, laying in her bed in all his bare-chested glory, and gave a small smile. "Hey handsome, you're awake," she greeted, placing a bunch of Mia's folded clothes in her side of the closet. "Want some breakfast?"

"Later," he said, sitting up in the bed, the covers sliding down to his hips. "Something's bothering you. It's written all over your face." He saw her face fall a little, and he patted the small space beside him on the bed. "Come here."

Sighing, she shut the closet and shuffled over, sitting next to him and allowing him to draw her close. "Talk to me, doll. What is it?" he cajoled.

Ducking her head, Sasha pushed a loose tendril of hair out of her face. "My mama died twenty-four years ago today," she whispered. "Been thinking about her."

She'd told him the heartbreaking story before. It was raining when her mother dropped her off at school on her way to work. Some guy smashed into her from the opposite side of the road, killing them both on impact. A mix of assorted narcotics had been found in the other driver's system and was the direct cause of the crash along with the pouring rain – triggering Sasha's lifelong hatred of drugs. Joe couldn't imagine losing a parent, his only parent for that matter, at such a young age and in that manner. He gave her a comforting squeeze. "I'm sorry."

"Thanks." She brushed a tear from her eye. "I miss her so much."

"Of course you do."

"I just wish I had more time with her, ya know? Wish she got to see her grandchildren."

"Maybe she didn't physically, but I'm sure she's been up there watching you ever since." He leaned in and pressed his lips to her temple. "And I'm sure she's proud of the kids and of you."

She smiled at his comforting words and rested her head on his shoulder. She could never thank him enough for his support. "I've been thinking about going back to school, earning a diploma."

"Yeah?"

"Mm hmm," she said, weaving her fingers through the ones he laid on her waist. "Actually, I've thought about it for a long time but I want to wait till T.K.'s in college first."

Joe's shoulder lifted in a shrug. "If that's what you want then that's great. Maybe you and I could go to college together. I never got to finish after all," he grinned.

"And when will you have time to complete a degree while you're busy wrestling all around the world?" Sasha questioned.

"I'm sure I'll figure something out," he said. "You and I could go to the same classes, study together…"

"Hell no. I ain't never studying with you. All we're gonna be doing is making out."

Joe laughed. "Good point." He yawned and stretched his arms. "By the way, me and the guys are going up to Orlando this weekend. Doing some press at the Performance Center for the new video game. The guys want T.K. to come along."

"He's like y'alls little roadie now, isn't he?" Sasha said. "Y'all make him carry your bags and shit?"

"Course not. I know you'd wring my neck if that ever happened," he laughed.

"He likes following you guys around. Doesn't stop yappin' about what y'all did."

"The guys like having him around," said Joe. "It's his eighteenth birthday next Monday, right? We can take him up to Orlando for the weekend, then when we get back he can have a party on Monday."

"Ty doesn't think I'm cool enough to throw him a good party." Sasha rolled her eyes and sighed. "I guess I'll leave that to you. But I'm sure he'd love to go to Orlando."

"Maybe we could have a party over there," he added, guiding Sasha onto his lap. "Welcome him to the first step towards adulthood the right way. A strip club maybe?" he winked cheekily.

Gasping, Sasha pointed her finger in his face. "Hey, you take my kid to a titty bar and we are over," she said, laughing.

Joe chuckled, taking her finger and opening up the other ones with his. For a moment neither said anything, simply stared at each other. Sasha touched his face, brushing her thumb over his cheek with a small smile. He had the most beautiful eyes.

Joe raised the back of her hand to his lips. "You're sad, baby girl. Let me make you feel better," he spoke softly.

His hands roamed her torso, his touch warm and seductive like always. Sasha exhaled blissfully as he smoothly scooped her big breasts and burrowed his face between them, nibbling her nipple through the satin material of her camisole. She dug her fingers into his hair and leaned into him. Her man always made her feel better; there was never any doubt about that. "Kiss me."

With no hesitation, he captured her lips with his. He caught the hem of her camisole and pulled it over her head, the action untangling the bun on her head and cascading her hair around her face, shoulders and chest. They were all alone in the little apartment so they didn't have to worry about disturbing the kids. Sasha tugged Joe close to kiss him deeply, helping him take off her satin shorts before he lay her down on the bed. Resting on his elbows, he dipped down to wrap his lips around her nipple. Sasha moaned and tunneled her fingers through his jet-black hair, pulling him back up for another hungry kiss. Locking her legs around him, she lifted her hips in invitation, and they both groaned as he entered her, filling her completely. Sasha massaged the back of his neck as he thrust slowly, leisurely, and reveled in the feel of his naked body on hers. They kissed tenderly, their tongues curling together in a passionate, erotic dance. She worked her hips against him, pulling him deeper inside her, causing him to rip his lips from hers and let out a deep moan. His pelvis rotated against hers as he tucked his face in her neck to nibble her skin, determined to mark her once again.

As their intimate lovemaking continued, Joe brought Sasha's leg over his shoulder and reached down to grip her ass. He grinded himself sensually into her, going deep, high-pitched whimpers emanating from her with each press of his hips. He always enjoyed her little noises, the way her hands possessively patrolled his hair and his back and ass. Sustaining his steady tempo, he moaned lowly in her ear, letting her know exactly what this was doing to him too, what her body was doing to his own. He loved making love with her and making her feel good, and knew she felt the same way for him. Sasha grasped his shoulders, gasping as she felt him in her belly, thick and strong, sensation building and growing within her. Joe groaned again as her walls clenched him hard, dragging him closer to the edge, and he had no choice but to pick up the pace, placing his mouth back over hers to swallow her moans of pleasure. Like last night, the small bed creaked noisily beneath them but the heat of passion had taken over. Her body arched into his, her toes curled as the orgasm swept through her. Joe pumped his way towards his own, groaning as his body froze and he erupted deep inside his lover. Once he regained his senses, he let her leg down to wind back around his waist. He remained on top of her when it was over, and Sasha held onto him, an amazing, satiated feeling drifting through her body like a cool breeze. She loved these intimate moments they shared together; his heated skin against hers, his breaths warming her skin, the gentle kisses he dispensed after they descended from their collective high. Moments so incredible and perfect that it brought tears to her eyes sometimes.

"Mmm, _ku'u_ _nani_," the Samoan purred against her throat, chuckling when her body gave a little shiver in response. His lips brushed her skin lazily. "Feeling better, baby?"

"Much." Her fingernails gently scratched his scalp, a gesture that soothed him. When he started to pull out of her, she tightened her arms and legs around him, holding him in place on top of her. He was much bigger and weighed more than she did but that was the beauty of it. She felt safe and protected in the cocoon of his warm weight. "Stay," she whispered.

Joe smiled tiredly and pecked her neck. "Okay."

With that settled, Sasha kissed his tattooed shoulder and closed her eyes with a sigh as a thought, not for the first time, crossed her mind.

Her mama would have loved Joe.

* * *

T.K. had to refrain from pinching himself. He couldn't believe he was actually in Orlando, actually standing in the WWE Performance Center. He hadn't been to many places but nothing he'd seen compared to this facility. It was filled with people, from the press to the Superstars and WWE officials. Apparently the launch of the new WWE video game was a big deal as a lot of the wrestling greats had also shown up.

"That's Shawn Michaels. HBK," he whispered. "Jim Ross. Holy shit, is that Edge and Christian?" Damn. These were all people he used to watch on TV and on YouTube, absolute legends. Steve and his other friends would totally shit their pants if they were here.

An amused smile crossed Joe's features as he gauged the awe on the teen's face. "I can introduce you if you want," he said, rubbing the top of T.K.'s head affectionately. "But it'll have to be after we're done with the press conference, the tour and media row."

T.K. nodded eagerly. "Sure. I can wait."

They went to find their seats for the start of the conference, with T.K. sitting a few rows behind Joe, Colby and Jon since the roster had to sit at the very front. After some guy in a suit made a small opening speech in one of the regulation WWE rings, he introduced the brains behind the Performance Center, and the familiar sound of Motorhead echoed throughout the cavernous building. T.K.'s eyes widened as Triple H appeared to a round of applause. He was one of his all-time favorite wrestlers. To see him in person was a dream and then some. Holding up his phone as discreetly as he could, his eyes followed the Game as he climbed into the ring to kick off the press conference. T.K. looked on in amazement as he got the first look at the brand new video game and the roster reveal. The graphics were truly impressive; he couldn't wait to play when it came out.

Following the conference there was a tour of the Performance Center. T.K. kept close to the Shield boys as they showed him around the huge facility. Everything a budding Superstar needed to make it in the WWE was here, from the wrestling rings to the promo rooms to the fully equipped training room; it was a sight to behold. T.K. took pictures and videos of everything, sending some to Steve, then his mother and posting on his personal Instagram page, his eyes twinkling the entire time. It was all so exciting. He stood quietly to the side while Joe, Jon and Colby took on a seemingly endless stream of media interviews from TV, radio and the like. He liked how easily they slipped into character for the interviews. Because he knew them personally he was used to calling them by their real names but he had to reprogram his mindset today and address them by their ring names instead. He could tell there were some interviews the guys genuinely enjoyed, and there were others that he knew they'd rather be anywhere else but there. True to his in-ring character – which the teenager had since realized was not far off from the man's real life persona – Jon wasn't very good at hiding his impatience. Joe was the same sometimes, while Colby was always the consummate professional and kept calm. It was always cool to watch them do their thing.

"So Roman, when are you gonna be back in the ring? Any date set?" the latest interviewer, the daughter of a WWE legend, was asking.

Joe shook his head. "There isn't a definite date yet, but I'm still working my butt off so I can get back sooner than later in the best shape possible. I'm itching to get back and rejoin my boys and kick ass once again so yeah, the rest of the locker room better watch out."

T.K. looked around while he waited, his eyes falling upon one of the wrestling rings where some NXT wrestlers were bouncing around in. Kofi Kingston was alone in a padded ring showing off moves off the top rope for a camera crew. T.K. had wrestled on mats loads of times but never in a standard wrestling ring. He longed to get in there, to see what it was like to be a pro wrestler for a couple of minutes.

"Hey T!"

Joe's voice regained his attention. Turning back to him, T.K. went stock-still at the sight of the new figure throwing a huge arm around the Samoan. No way, he thought, his heartbeat racing. This can't be real.

The Rock. Dwayne Johnson. Only a few feet away from him. Smiling at him.

"Come over here, man. Someone wants to meet you," Joe called, grinning from ear to ear at the kid's stunned expression as he approached. "Cuz, this is T.K. He's a fan of yours. T.K., this is Dwayne. Mr. Movie Star got bored layin' around in his big-ass mansion and felt like showing up here."

T.K. barely heard a word Joe had said. He stood there, wide-eyed. "H-h-hi," was all that could come out of his mouth at that moment. He couldn't believe his eyes.

Dwayne smiled at the teenager. "Hey T.K., nice to finally meet you. How are you?"

_Finally meet me? Oh my god. _"Good." Forcing himself to calm down, he pushed on, refusing to look like a complete idiot. "Mr. Johnson sir, I am a _huge_ fan. I-I've watched you for the longest time and you are like, the coolest cat ever."

"Call me Dwayne. And thanks, I appreciate that." Dwayne smiled graciously. "I've been hearing very nice things about you and your mom from my boy over here," he said, pointing at Joe, who had left them alone to talk.

"Yeah, him and my mom have been dating for a while," T.K. said, noting how Dwayne was dressed simply but still looked every inch like the movie star that he was. "He's a'ight. My mom's happy which is what matters most to me."

"Good to hear, my man. You got my permission to whip his ass if he steps out of line though," Dwayne joked.

"Oh, he knows," T.K. said, laughing. This was so surreal. He was having a conversation with _the Rock_, of all people. "So what do you think of the Performance Center?" he asked his idol. "Did you have anything like this back in the day?"

Dwayne shook his head. "Boy, do I wish. Nothing I ever trained in looked remotely as good as this. Them new kids got it good."

"So I've heard," said T.K. "I'm on the varsity wrestling team in high school and we don't train anywhere as cool as this."

Dwayne raised his eyebrows. "Varsity, huh?"

"Yeah. And I'm on the basketball team too, since my sophomore year," T.K. bragged. "Placed second in the wrestling regional championships last year."

The WWE legend nodded approvingly. "Nice, nice. You're obviously an athletic guy, hittin' the weights and eating right. What do you like to do in the gym?"

Standing to the side with a smile on his face, Joe took a picture and sent it to Sasha, knowing very well she would get a kick out of it. Minutes later he got a reply and burst out laughing when he read it.

_Omg is that the Rock?! How is Ty not a weeping mess on the floor right now. He loves him :O_

T.K. talked with Dwayne for about ten minutes before Dwayne had to leave. It turned out that the action star had come to the Performance Center specifically for T.K. at Joe's request. He wished him a happy birthday in advance before he left. T.K.'s life was complete now. Like, nothing could top what had just transpired.

Joe and T.K. wandered over to the padded rings where Colby had joined Kofi Kingston, with Jon, Cesaro and a few others watching from the apron. "Wanna try out the ring?" asked Joe, noticing the look of longing in the teen's eyes.

T.K. hesitated. "Can I?"

"I don't think it'll be a problem. The ring Colb's in is padded so it's safer. Just be careful."

Colby smiled when T.K. came closer. "Hey, look who decided to join us. Come on in."

T.K. climbed in, and Kofi and Colby showed him how to ascend the top rope and jump off safely. It took a few awkward attempts before the teen got the hang of it, and it wasn't long before he was showing off some acrobatic moves. They were nowhere as flashy as what the pros were doing, but he was hanging with them which was the important part.

"You learn fast. Got the hang of it already," Joe said to T.K.

Buoyed by the praise, T.K. grinned. "Thanks. If Mom was here she'd be biting her nails worrying cuz she thinks I'm gonna fall. Like she didn't do stuff like this when she was younger or like her daughter isn't a gymnast."

Joe laughed. "She's just being a mom. It's their job to worry."

"Wanna make her worry some more?" said Colby. "How about a little sparring contest?"

T.K. raised an eyebrow. "Dude, I'm wearing jeans."

"Dude, I wrestle in a bulletproof vest and combat boots every day," Colby countered smoothly. "But it's alright. I understand if you're too scared," he taunted. "I was gonna take it easy on you but if you don't want none of this…"

T.K. narrowed his eyes. He'd become familiar with Colby's attitude when it came to working out. It was one of the few times his laid-back persona melted away into the aggressive hard-hitting machine fans saw in the ring. The very few occasions when they'd worked out together Colby had pushed him to his proverbial limits both verbally and physically. Today, he would match him, or at least try to. He made a show of dusting off his shoulders. "I'ma have fun runnin' circles around your old ass, Rollins," he said, determined to show that he could talk trash with the best of them.

Jon, Kofi and Claudio all went "ohhhh" at the little jab, glancing to Colby for his reaction. The man known as Seth Rollins merely chuckled, slowly circling T.K. in the middle of the ring. "Got a mouth on you, huh Morgan," he said, "Won't be able to talk shit with your face buried in the mat."

T.K. smirked and beckoned challengingly. "Come on old man, let's go."

In the corner, Joe fired up the video recorder on his iPhone. This was going to be good. Probably not so much for T.K. though.

The two engaged in a lengthy rally of chain-wrestling, with Kofi being the makeshift referee. T.K. was no match for the much bigger, far more experienced Colby, who pinned him every time with ease. The annoying part was it didn't seem like he was trying. T.K.'s competitive streak was out in full force, and he put in more effort, busting out hold after stretch after hold to try to pin Colby or get him to submit. A small crowd was gathering around the ring but neither man noticed in the heat of competition. At last, T.K. had the upper hand, wrestling Colby down to the mat. Suddenly, pinning the older man was not enough. In a burst of inspiration, he took to the top rope, wobbling a little as he tried to balance himself. The canvas was padded so the chances of his tailbone breaking into pieces were slim. He launched himself off the top rope and landed squarely on top of Colby. It was an adrenaline rush like no other. He was starting to revel in the sweetness of the moment when all of a sudden the older man fluidly rolled them both over, pinning his shoulders squarely to the padded canvas. Kofi counted to three one last time, and there was a triumphant smirk on Colby's face that made T.K. want to cry. He'd been schooled soundly in front of everyone and though there was no shame in getting beat by one of the best in the business, it didn't stop him from wanting the ground to open up and swallow him whole.

"Not bad."

T.K. turned his head, and his jaw dropped. Triple H was on the apron, looking right at him. Rising gingerly to his feet – the adrenaline had subsided and now his body ached like crazy – T.K. looked around; a number of people had surrounded them, most of them smiling, actually looking impressed. Hunter stepped through the ropes and into the ring and walked up to the teenager, sizing him up.

"What's your name, kid?" he asked in his trademark gruff voice.

"Tyson, sir," he answered, swallowing hard. Even in a suit, the Game looked just as intimidating in real life as he did on TV. "Tyson Morgan. But you can call me T.K."

"T.K.," Hunter repeated, testing out the name. His gaze was scrutinizing, almost unnerving the teen. "Usually we don't let guests get into the ring but I'm willing to let it slide because I enjoyed what I just saw."

T.K.'s eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah. You're obviously green as grass but the talent and passion's there. You wanna become a wrestler, then? Wanna work for the WWE?"

This wasn't the first time he'd been asked this question, and his answer never changed. "I would love to, sir," he replied. "I've watched the WWE for as long as I can remember. It inspired me to wrestle for my high school. It would be a dream come true to wrestle here, sir."

Hunter nodded his head, then placed a huge hand on T.K.'s shoulder. "Quick word of advice? Think very long and hard about it. The business is not as glamorous as this place looks. Pro wrestling is not an easy profession by any stretch. It's a lot of work and a lot of sacrifice. I've met many people just like you who want this too, probably more than you do, but end up falling by the wayside because they can't handle the pressure. Take a look at other career options. If in the end you decide this is what you really want…then go for it. Maybe someday you'll find yourself back here. You got potential, kid, and trust me when I tell you I don't say that to a lot of people."

The teen smiled, having absorbed every word. "That means a lot to me, sir. Thank you."

"No problem, man." With a quick nod, Hunter patted his shoulder one more time, then walked off as a stagehand came to get him. T.K. stared after him, his awestruck gaze broken when Joe thrust his iPhone in his face.

"Here, kid," he said. "Consider that to be your first audition tape. You're welcome." He winked at him, then sidled to the side for another Shield interview.

T.K. watched the video of his bout with Colby in the padded ring, and realized he didn't look as bad as he first thought. It was an unbelievable day already. He got to see the new video game, rubbed shoulders with legends, got to tour the Performance Center, and the great Triple H saw potential in him. The Rock came all the way down to say hi to him personally. They didn't have to do any of it, so it meant so much to T.K. Today's experience was easily one he would remember for the rest of his life.

* * *

_**Lied about toning down the smut. Sorry. (Not sorry).**_

_**Hope you enjoyed the update. Kindly review. :D**_

_**Good luck to the (ex) Shield boys tomorrow! The Royal Rumble is my favorite PPV and this year's gonna be sick!**_


	46. Chapter 46

_**A/N: I predicted the Roman backlash at the RR in chapter 25 of this fic. Nearly a week has passed and I still feel the way I did on Sunday night: Screw you, WWE. Screw you for dropping the ball with Roman since his return from injury with those stupid promos ('sufferin' succotash'? Really?) You rushed his push and then fed him to the PHILLY fans of all people, and knowing that was the reaction he'd get you recruited the Rock to try to make the save. Such bullshit booking. I still have faith in Roman and I'm hoping that now he's been put in this spot he makes it through this some way somehow. His promos on Raw gave me hope. But those motherfuckers in Stanford set him up and I think that's messed up. He's a talented dude and in no way deserved that shitty reaction he got on Sunday. Trash.**_

_**Seth Rollins is the man. Period. Gold, diamond and platinum all rolled into one.**_

_**Hugs and kisses to **__mitchy21__, __lunatic Queen, terrain bascomb, Tammy__, __BillionDollarPrinceStephanie__, __Bharm__, __LuxuriaVanitas__, __CFierce116__, __benova13__, __Shield316__, __DeeMarie426__, __ChelleLew__, __ItReignsJustice-619__, __fenner82, justkimmy, nikki1335 __**and**__ IRENELOVE83__.__** I've tried to make the story and my characters seem as realistic as possible, but with a lot of you commenting on how perfect Joe is, I almost feel like I've failed at my objective because, 'lesbihonest' (thank you AJ) no one's perfect. But maybe I'm being paranoid.**_

_**Been wanting to post this update but I've been suffering from a cold. Sorry for the delay. Enjoy!**_

* * *

Twenty minutes past midnight, and the lobby bar of the hotel was still crammed with WWE superstars and crew milling about, hanging out and chatting. Even after a busy day no one seemed ready to go to bed yet. Lifting his beer to his lips, Joe watched with a smirk as T.K. lounged on a sofa in the distance, literally sandwiched between NXT girls Paige and Alexa Bliss, a dreamy look in his eyes as the two beautiful girls wrapped around him from both sides. The girls were chatting animatedly, and he probably wasn't getting a word in but he seemed perfectly content just listening to them. Joe was tempted to take a picture and send it to Sasha, but knowing his protective girlfriend, she would probably freak out over this little tableau.

"Looks like someone's got their 'protective big brother' headlights on."

Joe turned as Jon slid into the barstool beside him and cast him a smirk at his statement. "Like _you_ haven't taken to the kid," the Samoan disputed smoothly.

Jon shrugged. "Touché. It's tough not to like him though." He motioned for the bartender to get him what Joe was having. "He's like a cute little puppy dog ya know? You just wanna keep him and pet him."

Joe laughed. "Sasha will kick your ass if she hears you referred to her kid as a dog."

"Only way she's gonna hear about it is if you open your big mouth," said Jon, craning his neck to look over at Colby sitting quietly on the other side of the Samoan. "Dude, what the fuck's wrong with you? You've been quiet all damn day."

Colby looked up from his beer and met his best friends' inquisitive gazes. "Fine, fine. I um…I've been thinking of proposing to Lauren," he said.

The statement was calm but full of resolve, and it brought instant smiles to his friends' faces. "For real? When?"

The Davenport native shrugged one shoulder. "Haven't decided yet. But I just know it feels right, guys. Everything's going good for us. Our careers, us living together…it's really good. Feels like it's the right time to take this step."

Joe grinned. "That's awesome, man. You know we approve. L's a great girl. She was there for me through my shit with Andrea. She's been there for you since y'all were teens. You're perfect together," he said, with Jon nodding his agreement.

A bartender placed a bowl of nachos and guacamole dip in front of the three men. Jon immediately reached for a chip as Colby pushed his two-toned hair back and focused his gaze on Joe. "So what about you, big man? When are you going to pop the question to our girl Sasha?" he smiled.

"I did."

The boys gaped at him. "_What?!_"

"Not directly," he clarified. "I told her I planned to someday. But I think I freaked her out so I've put the kibosh on it, for now."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure it'll happen eventually," said Colby. "Maybe she doesn't feel ready yet. But she obviously loves you and wants to be with you. T.K.'s like a brother to you now. I say you're pretty close to settling down and having the family you've always wanted. It's only a matter of time."

"I don't think it's _that_ set in stone, bro. But we've decided to take things a little slower, which makes sense. We haven't been together all that long anyway."

"What about moving in together?"

Joe strummed his fingers on top of the table. "Same thing. Taking our time."

"Okay. Now it's about time we found someone for _this_ dude," Colby pointed his bottle at Jon, causing the other man to roll his blue eyes. "Hey, do you hear me complaining? I'm happy for you guys but I'm just as happy the way I am," he piped up, munching happily on his nacho.

"Whatever you say, man."

Joe turned and raised an eyebrow when he saw Paige and Alexa leading T.K. towards one of the elevators. "Where are they going?"

"Where d'you think they're going?" Jon smirked.

"Not to watch Dora the Explorer, that's for sure." Colby hid his snicker behind his beer bottle.

Joe paused, narrowing his eyes curiously as his friends exchanged knowing gazes. "Wait…y'all hooked that shit up, didn't you?"

Jon quickly put his hands up. "Hey. _They_ came to _us_. Said they liked him and wanted to hang out with him. Nothing wrong with that." He laughed at the jokingly annoyed look on Joe's face. "Come on G.I. It's his birthday weekend. Let him have some fun. I doubt he's a virgin anyway, if that's what you're concerned about."

"Well if he is, he won't be in the morning," said Colby.

"That my friend, is the plan," Jon said, clinking bottles with his Shield brother.

Shooting another glance at the now shut elevator, Joe shrugged and shook his head. He guessed if the kid was going to get laid, he could do worse than with two WWE Divas.

* * *

"Baby, tell Pam to quit eyeballing my hair."

Sasha looked across the kitchen counter at her friend, who was gawking at Joe tying up his long hair in a bun. "Pam, quit eyeballing Joe's hair," she giggled.

"I can't help it. It's so long and luscious," Pam gushed, her gaze trailing the large Samoan as he accepted bottle of water Elgin passed to him. Sasha managed to convince Joe to help Elgin out with setting up the gym in Elgin and Pam's new five-bedroom home, which they'd moved into a week ago. Due to her pregnancy, Pam had to take time off from her job at the gym and her dance kids. With the move completed and nothing else for her to do, she could fully concentrate on planning her wedding, and being her Maid of Honor, she wanted Sasha to be involved. Pam knew what she wanted, and they were currently waiting for the wedding planner to show up at the house so they could start hashing out the details.

"You're a weirdo," Joe laughed at Pam. "Other women have food cravings when they're pregnant. You got hair cravings. You've pestered Jon and Josh too."

"Oh she got food cravings too," said Elgin. "Two nights ago I drove to Walmart and bought her a jar of pickles. It was all she wanted. She ate everything right in front of me."

Sasha grimaced. "Pickles? Eww."

"Shut up trick. You of all people should know how cravings work. But I gotta ask you Joe, what are you Samoan boys doing with all that hair anyway?" Pam demanded, running her hand over her now visible, fifteen-week-old belly. "Is it some sort of tradition or something? If not I'd like to cut it up. You know, make a nice weave out of it, maybe sell it for big bucks. We could split the profits down the middle if you want."

"Tempting. But no can do, darlin'," Joe replied, "My dime piece needs something to pull in bed. Right babe?"

"Right," said Sasha, leaning up to give him a kiss that went on for longer than it should have. Pam feigned sticking her finger down her throat. "I would throw up from all the mushiness but I'm all out of vomit," she quipped.

Sasha stuck out her tongue at her and turned back to her boyfriend, watching him scroll through his phone. "What is it?" she asked, noting the frown on his face.

"Some dude texting me, claiming he went to high school with me and the twins. He wants a tryout at the Performance Center. Whatever," he sighed and shook his head. "This shit happens all the time."

"You famous bruh. Everyone wants a piece of the mighty Roman Reigns," Sasha grinned.

"I just wonder how the fuck they get my number. I know it's not from my family. Ugh." He rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna have to change it. Again."

A group of men bustled into the house with a treadmill. Elgin patted Joe's arm. "Break's over. Come on."

"Have fun with the gym, boys," Sasha called, leaning on the kitchen countertop as she watched them walk away.

"Have fun wedding planning," Joe retorted with a wink, following Elgin out of the room.

The wedding planner was a nice young woman called Jessica. Elgin surrendered his credit card to his fiancée and allowed her to do whatever she wanted, as long as all he had to do was show up on the day in a tux. There was a lot of work to do for the wedding, it turned out. Suddenly, a lot of days on the calendar were being filled in for appointments to see venues, try on dresses, taste cakes among others. But Jessica seemed competent, so Pam put her faith in her.

While Pam and Jessica discussed, Sasha found herself keeping a very watchful eye on Jessica's sister, Heather, whom she had brought along. Heather was strangely strolling around like she owned the place, and her eyes were fixed on Joe and Elgin as they went in and out of the house with the gym equipment installers, blatantly scrutinizing their backsides each time he walked past. "Hot damn," she sighed, an eyebrow lifted in appreciation as she sipped on her water.

Jessica looked up from the web page she was showing Pam. "Everything okay, Heather?" she asked.

"Yep. Just looking at the buffet," Heather smirked, tugging down her short skirt. "The big guy with the tattoo is like, so sexy. I definitely don't mind going for a ride on that stallion."

Several months had passed since they started dating, and Sasha was still learning to appreciate, instead of loathe, the fact that women lusted after her boyfriend. Frankly, you had to be either blind or lesbian to not find him attractive. It was a tough position to be in, but she had to take it in stride. She trusted him, and in the end, she was the one he came home to.

Pam however, wasn't having any of that shit. "Hey, Heather…have I introduced you to my best friend, Sasha?" she said, putting a hand on Sasha's shoulder. "She happens to be the girlfriend of the stallion you wanna ride."

Visibly surprised by this information, the young woman blinked as she looked Sasha up and down, then made a mocking sound. "You? Really? Aren't you a little old for him?" she sneered.

"Heather!" Jessica gaped at her sister.

"He ain't complainin'," said Pam. "And why would he? You see that ass and them tits? Sasha, get up. Show her what you workin' with." She urged Sasha to her feet and spun her around, proudly patting her friend's butt. "Your ass look anything like this? Are your titties real? No? Exactly. A man like that don't do silicone Barbie wannabes, so how 'bout you take that mess somewhere else, little girl."

There really was nothing to add to that, was there? Sasha merely crossed her legs and glared challengingly at Heather, who recoiled, shocked that she was being spoken to like that, and looked to Jessica for backup. When it was clear she was getting no support, she tossed her blonde hair back with a huff and marched out of the house.

Jessica looked pleadingly to the two women before her. "I am_ so_ sorry about my sister, I don't have a clue what that was about…Please don't fire me." If she bungled this lucrative account in any way, her boss would surely fire her.

"I don't have a problem with you," said Pam.

Jessica breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much. Let me go check on her. Please? I'll be back."

Once Jessica was out of sight, Sasha burst out laughing. "You are out of your mind, crazy pregnant lady," she said.

"What? I was making a point," shrugged Pam. "Comin' up in here runnin' her mouth, tryin' to stick her nose in another woman's business. My future brother-in-law may be a hot commodity but he ain't community commodity."

A smirk tugged at the mother-of-two's lips. "Future brother-in-law?"

"Um, yeah! He's already said he wants to marry you, right?"

Sasha felt her cheeks warm. "I told you, we've shelved those thoughts for the moment. We agreed that it's too soon to be talking about that. But I think I've turned him off it altogether cuz he hasn't said a word about it since."

Pam typed in something on her laptop. "Oh trust me girl, he's still thinking about it. That boy looks at you like you're the reason the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. He'll bring it up again and when he does, your ass better say yes. It's not up for discussion."

"Yes ma'am," Sasha grinned.

"Good girl."

Jessica returned – without her sister, thankfully – and it was another two hours before their meeting ended and another one was scheduled.

"Why am I so exhausted all the time?" Pam complained.

"Wait till that baby comes out, you'll know what exhausted really means," Sasha said. "You may never need to go to the gym ever again."

"I remember you chasing T.K. everywhere. Wasn't surprised when he became a star athlete." Pam clicked on an adult website and leaned back to enjoy the show.

Sasha rolled her eyes. "This is all you ever fuckin' watch now, isn't it?"

"Can't help it, I'm so fuckin' horny all the time," Pam whined. "It's bad enough that Gin don't wanna have sex with me because he's scared we'll hurt the baby."

"That's not true though. You're not that far along. Tell him it doesn't work like that, and back it up with evidence." Sasha tilted her head as she watched the stark naked woman on her knees before the equally stark naked man. "You know, I've never understood titty fucking," she mused.

Pam shot her friend a baffled look. "You tellin' me Joe's never fucked your tits?"

"Nope."

"Why the hell not?"

"I don't know. He's never brought it up. Maybe he doesn't like it. But personally I don't get it. That, or anal."

Pam gasped. "No! Sasha! No ass fuck either?"

"Hell no, that's just nasty," Sasha cringed.

"No, that's just cruel," Pam scolded her. "Your tits and ass are by far your hottest body parts. What do you let him do then?"

"Everything else. Anywhere he wants and in any position he wants. Isn't that enough? Don't look at me like that, he ain't complainin'."

"Not out loud he ain't," said Pam. "Every man likes every hole. Okay fine, I get that you're not comfortable with it but if you ask me, you have to be. Listen honey, you gotta do what you gotta do to keep intruders off of your front lawn. I don't need to tell you this. That Heather broad isn't the only thirsty ho sniffin' around your man. And let's face it, we love our men to death and vice versa but when it comes down to it, they are _men_. Very attractive men. The stuff you don't wanna do, there's plenty bitches out there that would step up in a heartbeat. I'm just saying…do whatever you gotta do to ensure your man don't stray, is all."

They heard the sound of footsteps and paused the video as the gym equipment installers exited the house one by one. Joe and Elgin came into the kitchen. "Y'all finally done?" asked Pam.

"About halfway there. They'll be back in two days," said Elgin, kissing his fiancée on the lips. "You should be resting, baby."

Pam made a face. "If I rest for another second I'm gonna pass the hell out. I hate lazing around being idle."

"Well, now that your gym is taking shape, you'll be able to work out after having the baby," Sasha smiled, standing up and walking over to Joe. "Maybe I'll be coming over to join you."

"Actually I noticed you look trimmer babe," Joe pointed out, looking his girlfriend over.

"I hope so," she smiled, stroking his broad chest. "Been toning up a little bit. I wanna look good for you, baby."

Joe frowned. "You don't have to do it for me, _nani_. You already look great."

"Nothing's wrong with looking better," Sasha countered.

"True. Whatever you do though, don't lose that pretty butt or those jugs, alright? I like 'em how I found 'em," he said, palming her backside and pulling her closer to him. Sasha breathed in his slightly sweaty scent before turning to face Pam and Elgin. "Hey guys, how about dinner tomorrow night? The four of us?" she asked.

"Sorry, my folks are coming over to see the new house," said Elgin, "Maybe sometime next week?"

"Next week's good," said Pam, and they all agreed. The couples said their goodbyes before Joe and Sasha headed out. Idly stroking the hand Joe rested on her thigh as they drove to her place, she watched the new scenery with a soft smile. Pam and Elgin's new neighborhood was beautiful suburban luxury, perfect to raise children in.

"So…I got some good news." Joe's deep voice broke through the comfortable silence in the car. "The doctors came back to me with the test results."

Sasha looked at him. "Yeah? What did they say?"

His smile widened. "I've been cleared to return to action."

"Babe, that's awesome!" the mother-of-two grinned. "Have you set a date yet?"

"Nope. But we're looking at the Raw after TLC next week. They wanna hype the Shield's return to dominance in time for the Royal Rumble."

The gleam in his eye brought a smile to Sasha's face. "You're very excited," she observed.

"Yeah, I can't wait. At last I can get away from the damn TV," he laughed. "There's only so many Family Feud reruns my poor eyeballs can stand."

"Please, you love Family Feud," she taunted. "Always shouting the answers at the TV like they can hear you."

"Speaking of, was that a porno y'all was watching back there?" Joe inquired, glancing at her.

She shrugged. "Yeah. Pam says she's horny all the time now. It's just a phase. I was the same when I was pregnant. Took the edge off in a big way." Taking in his stunned expression, she laughed. "What? Why the shocked face?"

"I didn't think watching porn was something you liked," he said.

Sasha laughed. "You talk like I'm some sort of prude. Of course I watch pornos…where d'ya think I get my moves from?" She winked at him. "I just don't watch anymore. I got a little girl who's more curious than freakin' George." Biting her lip, she gazed at him. "Maybe you and I could watch one together sometime. We've never done that."

"Yeah?" The suggestion took him by surprise, but it was hard not to be excited by the thought.

"Of course. It'll be hot." She leaned over to press her lips to his shoulder. "I'm gonna miss you when you leave," she pouted, her knuckles grazing his cheek. Deep down, she didn't mind too much. She knew how eager he was to get back in the ring doing what he loved to do with his brothers.

"I'll miss you more, baby girl," he replied softly, briefly turning his face to kiss her fingers. "I'm gonna spend as much time as I can with you, starting with dinner tomorrow night."

"I'd like that. But you should focus on getting ready for your comeback too. And when you get back out there, you know…be safe, have fun…and just kill it, like you always do."

"Hmm." Joe smiled at her. "I like that. That's a nifty little catchphrase."

Sasha chuckled. "Well I'm surrounded by all things wrestling these days. I was bound to pick up a thing or two."

* * *

_The next night…_

Thrusting his hands in his pockets, T.K. crossed the street, walking towards the gleaming white Mercedes. He would have done this much earlier if his friend hadn't been out of town for the last few weeks, doing Lord knows what. It didn't matter. He didn't plan on staying long.

The past week had given him a lot to think about. He finally turned eighteen, and chose to spend the special day with his mother, sister, Joe and a few close friends. It was an intimate dinner at Reggie's Bar and Grill; a small gathering, just the way he wanted it. He loved the presents he received; a pair of Beats headphones from Joe, a couple of cool t-shirts from Jon, while Colby sent a really cool framed shot of T.K. flying through the air during their sparring session at the Performance Center. Sasha had given him some new dress shirts, a couple of neckties and enrolled him in drivers' education courses with the promise of a car of his own on his nineteenth birthday. He was surrounded by people who loved and cared for him. He had the possibility of achieving what was once a pipe dream, and he felt a new sense of responsibility now. It was time he severed a few ties and closed a certain chapter of his life for good. It would hurt a little because he would always think of this person as a friend, but it had to be done if he was going to make real progress with his life.

Nearing the car, he watched as Lamar turned in his direction. "Yo, what up Superstar. Been a while."

T.K. returned his smile and fist-bumped Lamar. "It has. I'm good."

"Saw your Instagram posts of your grand adventure in Orlando. Tearing it up at the Performance Center and shit," Lamar said, tugging his hood over his head. "You got it goin' on, man."

"Thanks." T.K.'s smile was tentative.

"So what's up? Here for another run?"

At the expectant look on his friend's face, T.K. sighed and shook his head. "That's what I came to tell you, man. I can't do this. And um…I don't think we can hang out anymore."

He felt something chip at his heart as Lamar ducked his head and rubbed his nose awkwardly with the back of his hand, but he held onto his resolve firmly. He reached into his back pocket and withdrew a wad of money, handing it to Lamar. "That's all the money I made that night. Your cut _and_ mine." He'd thought about spending his share of the money on his mother or Mia or even using it to contribute to his home, but because of how he'd earned that money, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. "I'm sorry, Lamar."

Lamar took the money and stashed it away, nodding pensively. "Naw, don't be. I understand. This ain't the life for you anyway. You ain't like me. This is where I belong."

T.K. shook his head. "That ain't true, man."

"It is. I'm destined to be a hood rat the rest of my life. You on the other hand have everything going for you. Great family, great future. Now you got Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins as your buddies. I would kill for what you got, man. You best take advantage of that shit."

Nodding his head, T.K. was secretly relieved that this was going better than he expected. "We still cool though, right?" he asked hopefully. Even if they were going their separate ways he didn't want things to end on a sour note between them.

Lamar smiled. "Yeah, we cool." He pointed at T.K. "You got avenues to become a wrestler now, so do it. I plan on being at your first WrestleMania match, you feel me?"

T.K. smiled back. "Thanks man."

As they exchanged final fist bumps, a car pulled up behind Lamar's car. Two big burly guys stepped out of the vehicle and approached them. They looked thuggish and menacing, prompting alarm bells to go off in T.K.'s head.

"Yo son. You think you can sell your shit on our turf?" the shorter man demanded, looking back and forth between the two teenagers.

Swallowing hard, T.K. looked to Lamar, who wore an expression of utmost defiance. At first he seemed to shrug off the accusation, but all of a sudden he lunged, catching the short man in the face with his fist.

"Ty, run! Get outta here!" Lamar yelled.

T.K. didn't need telling twice. He took off in a dead sprint, going as fast as his legs could carry him, vaguely hearing the sickening crack and smack of fists breaking flesh and bone and Lamar yelling in pain. There was no time to feel guilty about leaving his friend behind; he had to worry about himself first, to get out of the line of grave danger.

He heard it before he felt it. Loud popping sounds. Excruciating, white-hot pain ripping into his back. His legs buckled from the impact, and he landed face-first, hard, on the concrete ground. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe. So much pain. His back was on fire. He could feel the blood seeping out of him, his life force draining from him. In the distance, tires screeched, and someone was screaming. His eyes grew heavier, his breathing slowed as the darkness circled over him like vultures over a corpse. He was fading away fast, much faster than he expected, and terror gripped his being as he realized what was happening to him.

Lying there on the warm, hard concrete, tainted with his blood, the faces of the two most important people in his life flashed before his eyes. It was his last thought before he succumbed to the darkness.

_Mama…Mia…I love you both so much…_

* * *

_**Bring it on. Top to bottoms, perhaps? ;D**_


	47. Chapter 47

_**Holy cow, the feedback for this chapter! Wow guys! Smiling from frickin' ear to ear. I am giddy at the fact that my cliffhanger went over so well. I'm not very good at those tbh so the reviews made me so happy.**_

_**MASSIVE shout out to **__Imagineer1392, CFierce116, too much drama 1225, Alisi824, lunatic Oueen, ChelleLew, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, Bharm, mitchy21, skullyrox666, Tammy, pumpkin595, Ctinaisfashion, nikki1335, Guest, LuxuriaVanitas, princessreigns, sarah-bellona-hiddlestoner, DeeMarie426, Guest, Paisley2, fenner82, Guest, justkimmy, benova13, Shield316, ItReignsJustice-619 __**and **__Olivia Reigns__** for reviewing! You guys make me so happy. Please keep them coming. :D**_

_**Did T.K. make it? We find out now.**_

* * *

"_I like the way you work it, no diggity, I got to bag it up bag it up_," Sasha sang along to the song that was blasting out of a car somewhere as she shimmied her way across the restaurant's parking lot. A couple of steps behind her, Joe watched the little show his girlfriend was putting on. "That's the last time I ever order you Mai Tais, woman," he jibed, "Stick to your sissy Mojitos from now on."

"I'm not drunk if that's what you're implying, just a little tipsy," Sasha defended herself.

"Drunk, tipsy, it makes your singing worse and that's saying something," said Joe, intently watching her backside roll around in that tight, purple long-sleeved dress that he wanted to peel off of her body so badly. "On the bright side, I can watch you dance like that all night long. How the hell do you move your ass like that?"

"You can thank my Caribbean roots. And shut up about my singing. Ain't like _you _any better."

"You sure about that?" Joe taunted her, laughing when she turned and stuck out her tongue at him. They neared his Range Rover, and just as she was rounding the vehicle towards the passenger's side, Joe tugged her back and drew her body against his. He gave up a long time ago on trying to keep his hands off her for more than ten seconds. He simply could not. His smoldering eyes locked onto hers. "You are so damn gorgeous, baby girl," he whispered gruffly, his hands gliding down her curves appreciatively. "The things I wanna do to you in this sexy fuckin' dress."

Flashing him a seductive smirk, she pulled him closer by his leather jacket – which he looked extremely sexy in – and ran her brightly-colored fingernails up his chest. "Well, you can show me tonight," she whispered back, as his fingers tangled in her curly hair. "Your place or mine?"

He started to reply when her phone went off in her purse. Sighing, Sasha retrieved it. "It's Pam. Hold that thought," she said to Joe, brushing past him to get to the passenger's side of the car. "What up, trick?"

"Sasha! Sasha, where are you?"

At the sound of her best friend's hysterical tone, the mother-of-two froze, confusion and fear settling over her. "I'm still with Joe," she answered. "Are you crying? What's wrong?"

"You have to come to the hospital."

"The hospital? Why? Are you okay, Pam?"

Pam cried harder. "They shot him!"

Something inside Sasha plummeted like an anvil_._ "What? They shot who? What happened, Pamela?"

"Ty...baby, Ty got shot!"

And with those three words, Sasha felt the world and everything around her disintegrate into a pile of dust. "Wh-what?!" she said, barely able to force the word out of her mouth.

"They said they found him bleedin' out a couple of blocks from your place. I don't know all the details but…oh Sasha, please get to the hospital now!"

The hand holding her phone had slipped down from her ear. Suddenly the world was spinning, much too fast. She couldn't breathe; her lungs seemed to have locked up, blocking all the air from circulating, and she had to place her hands on the hood of the SUV to steady herself. The three words rang over and over in her head.

_Ty got shot…_

_Ty got shot…_

_Ty got shot…_

"Oh god," she gasped, her vision blurred by tears, "Oh god…Ty…my baby…"

With narrowed eyes, Joe climbed back out of the Range Rover and approached her. "Babe? Sasha, what's going on?" he asked, taking in her devastated expression. All of a sudden her legs buckled, and he bolted forwards, catching her before she hit the ground. "Sasha!" he exclaimed, the concern on his features converting into alarm. "What is it? What happened? Talk to me!"

But it was impossible to get anything out of her; her face was as white as a ghost, her entire body shook violently, and she kept muttering "Ty, my baby". Joe looked up to see her phone on the hood of the SUV; Pam was still on the line. He picked it up. "Pam? Pam, it's Joe…calm down, slow down, what happened…okay, which hospital are you at…" He managed to guide Sasha into the passenger seat and buckle her up before rushing back to his side. "Okay, we're in the car right now, we'll be there in ten minutes…"

* * *

She was in a nightmare; it was the only way she could explain why she was feeling like this, why none of it felt real. But the heaviness of her heart, accompanied by the sickeningly white, overly sterile odor of her surroundings only confirmed that it was not a figment of her warped imagination. Sasha's world currently consisted of two states of being – the tears that didn't seem to run out, and the raw, aching silences in between her gloomy thoughts and her sobs of anguish. She was all cried out; she had wept until her stomach was in knots and it was hard to breathe, but she had managed to finally calm down somehow, which left her with a numb void inside her chest where her heart used to be. Even with Joe's leather jacket over her, even with his big warm hand wrapped protectively around hers, they were not enough to keep away the cold that had gripped her entire being.

When she and Joe arrived at the hospital, T.K. was already undergoing surgery. Pam had been contacted by a friend of hers that worked in the accident and emergency wing of the hospital, whose nephew was T.K.'s basketball teammate and instantly recognized him when he was wheeled into the building. Sasha didn't know how long they had been sitting in the waiting area for, but it felt like years. On a brighter point, they were not alone. Jon Good was sitting in one of the chairs a few feet away. He appeared to be reading a magazine, but seeing as he hadn't turned a page in some time, it was clear his mind was more on T.K. than the material in his grasp. Pam was on Sasha's other side, staring at her hands which trembled slightly, Elgin's arm was wrapped around her shoulders. Trinity and Jonny had shown up, with the Diva drawing Sasha and Pam into a hug each and whispering words of comfort in their ears. Colby who was out of town, kept calling and texting Joe for news about T.K. as well as doing his part to be there for his friend. The big man looked just as troubled as his girlfriend, and he kept watching her with concern. She seemed to be in a trance-like state; her eyes were bloodshot and unfocused staring at nothing in particular.

"When Ty and Mia were little, I would watch them sleep at night," she whispered, her tone flat and dull as she spoke. "That time we had just the one bedroom to sleep in that the three of us shared…Every night I would pray to the Lord, ask Him to please protect my babies, and watch them for me…because I couldn't do it on my own. I can't feed them or give them what they need. In the really bad times, before I got the job at the Grill, there were nights I'd go to bed hungry 'cause I knew they didn't get enough to eat all day…I feel so terrible. Like, how did I end up like this? How did I let this happen? I got one job, _one job_, to keep my babies out of harm's way and I can't even do that right." She shook her head, more tears falling down her cheeks.

Joe squeezed her hand gently. "Hey, hey, don't blame yourself for this. There was nothing you could have done. And you do more than most for the kids, everyone in here knows that. T.K.'s going to be fine, Sash. Quit beating yourself up."

Swallowing hard, Sasha wiped the tears from her eyes and blew out a breath. She felt sick from all the white surrounding her; the walls, the ceiling, the floor…She'd seen enough of it during Joe's own stay at the hospital, and more sadly, during Pam's mother Irene's short, unsuccessful battle with cancer several years ago. Thinking about all of it made her feel sick. "I need some air," she blurted out.

"Need me to come with you?" Joe questioned, his hand still in hers as she stood up. Sasha smiled weakly at him and shook her head. "No, it's okay. I'll be right back." Squeezing his hand, she walked off down the hall, giving Pam a reassuring smile when the pregnant woman stared after her with concern. It felt like the walls were closing in on her and if she sat still for any longer she would probably lose it. She found a restroom and cleaned up her face, washing away the messy traces of her crying. Her feet ached a little, causing her to wince slightly as she walked, and she remembered she was not wearing her most comfortable heels. She wished she had a change of footwear.

_Look at you, thinkin' about shoes while your son is in a room somewhere fighting for his life,_ her inner voice chastised her, and she had to choke back a sob of guilt. Emerging from the bathroom, she made her way back down the hallway, slowing down as a pair of familiar figures neared her. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably. _Oh God, not _these_ two_. These were the absolute last two people on the planet that she wanted to see right now.

Desiree sucked her teeth angrily. "Baby, what is this trick doin' here?" she demanded, turning to her husband for answers. To his credit, Tyson looked as happy to see Sasha as she did to see him.

Sasha shook her head and put up a hand warningly. "Don't. Not tonight, alright?" she snapped.

"Whatever. Look what my boo-boo got me today," Desiree announced happily, pressing her bosom with both hands, which suddenly looked much more enhanced than they normally were. Realization sank in, and Sasha almost laughed at the ridiculousness of it. Tyson couldn't spare ten dollars for his son but he had no problem spending thousands on implants that his wife did not need. It was obviously some sort of attempt to buy her off and judging from the look on his face, her guess was somewhat correct. She turned away to leave. She didn't think she could stomach these two in the state of mind she was in.

"What'chu doin' here, Sasha?" Tyson frowned.

Desiree shot Tyson a strange look. "What do you care?"

Sasha's eyes cut to her ex, conflicted as to whether to tell him or not. He was a piece of shit but he was still her son's father. "Tyson got shot on his way home," she whispered reluctantly.

With the smile that stretched across Desiree's face, someone would have thought she'd just won a million dollars. "Shot huh? Oh, he one of them dope boys, ain't he?" She burst out laughing and turned gleefully to Tyson. "See baby? I told you that boy ain't good for shit. Now you ain't gotta worry about him no more."

Sasha glared at the woman, listening to her trash her son, and within her, she felt the last modicum of sanity she possessed abruptly snap.

Desiree kept on yakking, oblivious to the hell she had just unleashed upon herself. "And if your nappy ass think my husband gonna pay for his funeral, then you done lost your mind-"

_WHAP!_ Sasha's open palm crashed into Desiree's face. The force of the slap sent her reeling backwards, but Sasha was not done. Wrapping her hands around the younger woman's throat, she threw her back-first into the wall, sending her crashing to the floor. She dropped to the ground, drove her knee into Desiree's back to pin her down, and smashed her fists repeatedly into the back of her head.

"_He ain't dead, you fuckin' bitch!_" Sasha screamed maniacally, punching and pulling and yanking and clawing. Desiree wailed and screamed in pain and did her best to fight back, but Sasha was a woman on a mission. Someone was shouting her name, but the mother of two could not hear any of it, nor would she have done anything different if she could. All she wanted to do was rip something apart, to scratch and tear and destroy and make someone feel the pain she was currently feeling. And face it; this bitch had this coming for a damn long time…

"Sasha stop!"

Someone yanked her off of Desiree, restraining her before she could inflict any more damage. Sasha struggled to free herself but the person's hold was strong. Through the veneer of rage surrounding her, she heard Trinity's voice pleading in her ear, her arm wrapped around her middle. "Calm down Sash. Leave it. Let it go," she was saying.

"Run your mouth now, huh bitch!" Sasha raged at her nemesis, "Open your fuckin' mouth now, see if I don't knock your fuckin' teeth out!"

Tyson and Jonny were helping up a wailing Desiree, who was bleeding from the nose and mouth. Sasha's struggling finally subsided, but she ripped away from Trinity, turning and bolting down the other end of the hall in tears. Pam went after her, and Joe knew he should have done the same, but instead he got right in Tyson's face. "What did you and your bitch wife say to her?" he snarled, having to be pulled back several steps by Jon.

A nurse had rushed over, quelling the chaos with her warning that they would all be thrown out of the hospital if they did not behave. Joe returned his attention to Tyson and Desiree, and both had the decency to shrink under the Samoan's toxic glare. "Y'all better get your asses gone or I'ma give you _both_ a real reason to be here," he threatened.

The couple didn't need to be told twice, scurrying away as quickly as they could. Moving away from Jon, Joe looked around. "Where is she?"

Elgin pointed in the direction of the hallway, and he went off in search of his girlfriend. The sounds of crying echoing off the walls directed him to the stairwell where Sasha sat with her head buried between her knees, her shoulders shaking from her sobs. Pam sat next to her, an arm around her. The pregnant woman looked up at Joe with sad eyes, her own face wet. The Samoan helped her up gently, placing a comforting arm around her. "Thanks Pam, I got this," he told her gently, guiding her towards the door so she could return to her fiancé. He assumed the seat Pam had occupied on the staircase and gathered Sasha into his arms. "_Nani_…baby, I'm sorry."

Sasha shook her head, her face crumpled in abject misery. "He can't die," she cried, her voice thick with tears. "I can't, I don't know what I'll do…I can't lose him-"

"Stop thinking like that. T.K.'s not going anywhere, alright? He'll make it through this. He's gonna be okay."

"What am I going to tell Mia?"

"You'll cross that bridge when you get to it. You focus on T.K. for now, okay? He's going to need you when he gets out of surgery," said Joe, rubbing her back as she continued to cry into his shoulder. Seeing her so broken hurt his heart, and he knew he had to do something.

Taking out his phone, he dialed a number. "Stephanie, hi," he spoke into the phone, one arm still around Sasha. "I'm good thank you. I hope this is not a bad time…yeah, I know…um, I know you guys needed me to come in this week but I'm afraid I won't be able to make it…yeah, I have a family emergency, my girlfriend's son is in the hospital…yes, it's serious…It just came up, we're in the hospital right now. We don't have all the details at the moment but once we do that I'll get back to you. But for now, I can't fly out, I'm really sorry…okay, alright, I'll keep you updated…thanks for understanding, I really appreciate it. Thanks. I will. You have a good night."

Sasha looked on in dismay as he ended the phone call. "Please don't tell me that's the Stephanie I think it is."

Joe sighed. "It is. She sends her regards, by the way."

"You shouldn't have done that. That's your job. They need you."

"Right now you need me more," he answered simply.

"But baby-"

He shushed her with his finger over her lips. "I'm not going anywhere, Sasha. I'm not leaving you to handle this on your own." He kissed her forehead. "Do not argue with me. I'm staying. Case closed."

Secretly she was glad he was. She didn't know how to handle this on her own either. Fresh tears filling her eyes, she buried her face in his shoulder and whispered, "Thank you."

"Anything for my queen." Joe stroked her hair, placing another kiss on her head. "T will make it out of this just fine, baby girl," he assured her. "He's a tough kid, just like his Mama. Remind me not to get on your bad side though." He grinned down at her, pride shining in his ash-colored irises. "Damn, girl. You vicious as fuck."

Despite her current state, Sasha found herself laughing a little at the comment. She wished she hadn't lost her cool like that but what was done was done. For a few moments the couple sat together in the enclosure of the stairwell, holding each other, before Joe roused her. "Come on, let's go back to the waiting room. The others will be worried. And I'm sure the Doctors will be out any minute."

'Any minute' dragged on for an extra couple of hours. Finally, there was a soft creak of hinges as one of the double doors swung open, and the ER physician, a middle-aged man in his early forties, stepped out. All the occupants of the waiting room snapped to attention, rising to their feet in anticipation. The doctor swept his gaze over all of them before falling back down to his clipboard. "Tyson Morgan?" he asked.

Sasha quickly rushed forward, almost knocking over the Doctor in her eagerness for news on her son. "I'm his mother. H-how is he?" Her knees were shaking with dread but she refused to prepare for the worst; she would accept nothing less than good news.

"Mrs. Morgan," he said to Sasha, who was too worried to correct him, "We've managed to get the bullet out of his back and stop the bleeding. We also had to treat him for a mild concussion, as he hit his head on the concrete ground when he was struck. The bullet missed his spinal cord by half an inch. A miracle, really."

"So he's going to be okay?" Joe asked.

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, he's going to be just fine, which is remarkable considering he'd lost so much blood by the time he came in. There are no worries of any grave injury or paralysis. Honestly, he is a very lucky young man."

The relief that washed over Sasha was so overwhelming that she began to cry, unable to do anything else. Joe held her close and kissed the top of her head. The Doctor simply stood by with a smile.

"Can I see him?" Sasha asked the Doctor, having managed to compose herself.

"Well, he's in recovery at the moment but we'll be moving him into the ICU in a couple of minutes. I'll come get you once we're ready."

"Thank you, Doctor. Thank you so much."

The Doctor smiled kindly at her. "You're welcome." He left, just as Pam came over and threw her arms around Sasha, overjoyed by the positive news.

Several minutes later the Doctor returned, and Sasha followed him through the double doors and down a long hall, halting outside a recovery room. He turned the handle on the door and motioned Sasha into the room, closing it quietly behind him to give the mother and son some privacy.

Sasha didn't even register the sound of the door shutting. The moment she walked inside the room, all of her focus had been drawn to her son, lying on the hospital bed. Seeing him like that made Sasha feel more terrible and helpless, and she couldn't stop tears from stinging her eyes.

T.K.'s head slowly turned, a tiny smile quirking his lips. "Mama," he croaked, his voice smaller and more hoarse than usual.

"Baby." She hurried to his side. Pulling a chair towards the bed to sit on it, she took his hand in both of hers and brought it to her lips. "How do you feel?"

"Like I've been shot," he quipped, releasing a short burst of laughter which abruptly stopped as he winced in pain. "Ow."

"Serves you right, 'cause that wasn't funny," Sasha chastised. T.K. smiled and continued. "My head hurts, and it kinda hurts to breathe. I think the Doc said they've pumped me up with some pain meds so forgive me in advance if I fall asleep on you." His tiny smile disappeared. "Mama, I'm so sorry…"

From there, he proceeded to tell her everything that had happened, at least what he could remember before he'd blacked out. "I swear…I only went to return the money to Lamar, that's all I did," he vowed. "I couldn't spend it, couldn't bring myself to do anything with it…so I took it back to him. That was it, I promise."

Sasha reached over and stroked the side of his head that wasn't bandaged. "I know, I believe you baby. It's okay," she said reassuringly. None of that mattered now; all she cared about was he was alive. They could deal with whatever else later.

"Heard anything about Lamar?" T.K. asked, his tone anxious.

She shook her head. "No, baby. I haven't heard anything." Staring at him, seeing him in this state, caused emotion to well within her once more. "Oh Ty, I was so scared. What would I have done if you left me all alone on this earth? How would I survive without you? I couldn't."

"Yes you could," T.K. insisted quietly. "And you won't be alone. You'd still have Mia. And Joe too. I'd have wanted you to be with him and let him take care of the two of you."

Sasha didn't answer, at a loss for how to respond to that. T.K. smiled at her and gave her hand a tiny squeeze, the most he could do with his depleted strength. "He's a good dude, Ma. He really loves you," he told her.

She sniffled and nodded. "I know."

He stifled a yawn, smacking his lips tiredly, and closed his eyes. "When am I gettin' outta here?" he asked, his voice taking on a groggy tone.

"We haven't discussed that with the Doctor yet," said Sasha, carefully fluffing his pillow. "But I suspect they have to keep you here for a few more days to monitor your concussion. I don't think you're going anywhere soon so you just focus on getting better." When he didn't answer, she looked at him and saw that he'd drifted off to sleep. The pain meds must have kicked in. She didn't mind; he needed his rest. Rubbing his arm affectionately, Sasha pressed her lips to his hand and cried some more, thanking the Lord over and over for saving her boy.

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_**Happy ending…hopefully it stays that way.**_

_**I've put up a Roman/OC one-shot called 'We Are Fire'. Would love to know what you think. :D**_

_**Kindly review!**_


	48. Chapter 48

_**Thank you so much to **__Imagineer1392, too much drama 1225, Bharm, Alisi824, Ctinaisfashion, CFierce116, PassionWriter101, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, mitchy21, Paisley2, ItReignsJustice-619, justkimmy, fenner82, LuxuriaVanitas, caz21, DeeMarie426, the X smashley, Tammy, IRENELOVE83, Chermayne, ChelleLew, caleb's babe, benova13, nikki1335, vegas angel baby__** and **__corbettluv__** for the awesome reviews! I'm so thrilled that you all like ITDE so much. I say it all the time but I truly mean it.**_

_**My birthday is on Thursday and I'm trying to figure out what to do with myself in case my friends decide to be mean and not take me to lunch/dinner, lol. But yeah, I have a feeling I will be busy living it up this week so I brought out this update. Sorry I took so long. The new girl Jaida has taken up my time. ;) For those who haven't met her yet, find her among my stories list. You won't regret it. :D**_

_**And now, back to Jasha. Enjoy 48!**_

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The next couple of days seemed to go on forever, and T.K. wanted out of the hospital in the worst way. He longed to be back in his own home and back in his own bedroom, not trapped in this disgustingly white, suffocating room with all these annoying machines. However, whenever he tried to turn to his side in an effort to get more comfortable, the pain in his back gave him a stark reminder of why he was there. There was no way he would be allowed to leave the hospital just yet. He was miserable, and his only comfort was that he had his mother around to take care of him and encourage him, as well as Joe and Mia, who was eager to help out her older brother, still blissfully ignorant of the real reason he was injured.

The police showed up at the hospital to ask the bedridden teenager about the shooting. Sasha did not leave his side during the interrogation, a skeptical expression on her face the entire time because she knew this was just lip service and the police would not make that much of an effort to find who did this to her son. This wasn't the first time this was happening around their neighborhood or anywhere else and their track record in solving these cases was not stellar. T.K. told them what happened without actually incriminating himself or Lamar. Sasha could almost understand his reasons for trying to protect the other boy. Friends didn't snitch on friends. She didn't like it, but her only consolation was the knowledge that her son had a code of honor that he evidently took very seriously. She only wondered if Lamar would have done the same for him had the roles been reversed.

T.K. was finally discharged from hospital a week after his admission. The Doctors deduced that he wouldn't fully heal from his injury for another two months, which automatically ruled him out of the basketball Championship finals. The Mason Hill Knights had to go on without him, but the team, led by T.K.'s best friend Steve, dedicated their title-chasing run to him. However, it wasn't enough for T.K. This was Mason Hill High's first-ever final in the basketball championships, and for T.K., the school's star player, to miss it in his final year, was devastating. Coupled with the fact that Lamar's whereabouts were still unknown, the teen was an emotional and physical mess. He withdrew into himself even more and became surlier each passing day. He kept trying to turn down Sasha's help, and his mother, at a loss for what to do to make him feel better, was sure she was experiencing déjà vu, having gone through this with Joe already. And speaking of her boyfriend, he had to leave town again. He may have pushed back his return to in-ring action but it wasn't stopping the WWE from wrangling him into more signings, media interviews and the like. They talked on the phone and Joe gave her as much advice as possible, having been through the emotional turmoil that T.K. was currently enduring. But it only made Sasha wish that he was around.

Meanwhile, high drama was breaking loose in the WWE world, and most of it hit quite close to home. Colby and Lauren had apparently split up in very acrimonious circumstances. There had been rumors – eventually confirmed to Sasha by Joe and Trinity – about Colby having an affair with one of the NXT Divas. Lauren found out, and in retribution she posted nude pictures of Colby all over the internet, from his Twitter page to his Facebook account. Sasha was shocked by the whole thing. She never thought things were that bad between the couple. And she sure as hell never imagined Lauren would retaliate in that manner. Also, CM Punk, who had left the WWE several months ago, had finally broken his silence about his departure and released a podcast during the week. Among other things, he'd accused Joe of receiving favorable treatment from the higher-ups at the company, mostly at Punk's expense. Trinity sent Sasha the clip of Punk talking about Joe and listening to it made her blood boil. She didn't know Punk very well when he was around but for him to make such a remark she thought was wrong and unfair. Joe had worked extremely hard to be where he was in his career, perhaps more so than others simply to prove that he had made it on his own merit. Knowing her boyfriend and his ego, and his tendency to let people's criticism weigh him down, Sasha knew he was not taking this very well. Without a doubt, it was going to be an interesting week in the light of everything that had happened.

When Joe returned to Tampa ten days later, Sasha decided to pick him up from the airport herself, using Pam's car. She very much wanted a break from her claustrophobic apartment and her son's sulking if only for a few hours. As soon as Joe was safely strapped in the passenger's seat of the car, she attacked him, kissing him with a vigor and energy that surprised him. "Whoa," Joe breathed when they broke apart, a bewildered grin on his face. "That's some welcome back."

Sasha blushed, but she gave him another heartfelt kiss anyway. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," he said, his smile fading a little as he peered at her. "Is everything okay? T.K.?"

"He's alright, as alright as he can be. It's just been a tough couple of days."

"Oh you have no idea." He sighed tiredly and adjusted his seat to a reclining position. "Take me home, babe."

"I went grocery shopping for you. What would you like for dinner?"

"Whatever you make will be awesome, baby girl. I'm not choosy."

Back at his place, Sasha rustled up a nice, tasty chicken-based meal. She would have made his favorite pineapple chicken recipe but it would have taken a while and she knew he was hungry. She sat beside him at the dining table, watching him eat. "So what's up? How's T doing?" asked Joe.

Picking at her fingernails, Sasha shrugged. "Not so great. He's still in pain," she said, a tinge of sadness in her voice. "He reminds me of you when you were out. He hasn't handled it very well. I got out of the house for the first time in a while today; just needed a break from home and Ty, and..." She trailed off, shaking her head and tears welling in her eyes. "God, I'm a horrible person. My son survived a shooting and I'm complaining."

"You're not a horrible person," Joe told her. "I know how frustrating it can be and it's totally normal to want a break. Don't feel bad."

Rubbing her nose, Sasha sighed. "I'm sorry. I've never really had an outlet to vent before. It used to be Pam, but now she's so busy with Elgin and the pregnancy and I'm just...forget it. I'll be fine. You must be very glad to be away from all the drama going on at work."

Joe huffed and shook his head. "I don't even wanna think about it."

"I don't blame you," she said, walking over to the kitchen to get him some more water. Joe stared listlessly at his unfinished plate of food, deep in thought. "_Nani_?"

"Yeah babe?"

"If you're not happy with our relationship, you would tell me right?"

Turning around, Sasha met his gaze evenly, seeing the nervousness in his grey irises, and crossed her arms. "Why, you think I'd go off and post pics of your dick all over Twitter too?" she countered. "You gonna give me a reason to?"

"It's a serious question, Sash," he shot back, then caught himself. He exhaled heavily and rubbed a hand over his face. "Sorry. I shouldn't have snapped."

Sighing, Sasha sat down next to him. "It's okay. You're stressed out. And I don't even have any naked photos of you. And even if I did, I'd never do you like that, so don't worry about me," she said with a small laugh. Gauging her boyfriend's forlorn expression, she gently rubbed his arm. "Look. I know you're conflicted. I know how much you love Colby and Lauren. I'm sure you want to help but this is something they're gonna have to work out themselves."

Joe shook his head sadly. "Not gonna happen. Lauren's gone. She moved out of Colby's place three days ago. Took all of her shit and skipped town. She's not talking to me or Ambrose either because she's so sure we knew what Colb was doing but kept it from her anyway. We know who the girl is, we just didn't know anything was going on between her and Colb. Well _I_ didn't…apparently the stuff started while I was injured. Ambrose says he didn't notice anything. He says he's glad he's single," the Samoan added with a wry chuckle. "Says he don't have to worry about some chick waiting for him at home."

Sasha smiled. "You know Jon's just talking, babe. We all know he's into Renee."

"Yeah. But he's got a point, Sash. That's the crux of the situation between Lauren and Colby, and every other wrestler that's had issues with their partners. We're gone from home for too long; it gets lonely. It's easy to feel the pinch, and I guess Colby did. That's one of the problems being with guys like us babe. We are not exactly ideal partners. We spend so much time away from our families and we miss out on so much. I know you understand it's our job and it's what we gotta do. But is it really fair to you, our partners? I've thought about it, you know, about how _you_ could have someone else for a boyfriend; someone who is always around and there for you when you need him and doesn't have the issues we have. Look at Elgin."

"Elgin? What's he got to do with it?"

"You and him could've been together. That's what Pam said, right? That she almost hooked you up with him?"

"Yeah but that was a long time ago."

"I know, but what if it happened? Maybe he woulda been better for you, you know? He's your age, Ivy League, steady job, seemingly normal and he's around all the time. Pam gets to see him every day. He'll be there for the rest of her pregnancy and I'm sure he'll be there when the baby's born. That ain't me and it's never gonna be me. You coulda been the one in the brand new house with the indoor gym and the slinky neighborhood. And let's face it you could still have it if you wanted. You're beautiful and you can find some other guy who has a stable life and likes kids. That was another reason it was hard for me to be with anyone; women don't get this life, what we do. They want someone home with them all the time. But we can't. We're not regular guys, babe. And we may probably never have a normal relationship because our job just doesn't let it happen."

Oh dear. He was rambling. Joe only rambled when he was incredibly nervous. Leaning into him, she rubbed his arm soothingly. "Babe, you're panicking. Breathe," she whispered, looking into his eyes as she waited for him to do so. "Listen, I understand what you're saying, and I know how crazy it's been, but that's not going to be us."

Clearing the emotion out of his voice, Joe bowed his head. "I do wonder why you're still with me sometimes. Not only because of all the points I mentioned, but the problems _I_ have. You know them. They still nag at me, probably will for the rest of my career. I'm just thinking about you babe, and your happiness."

Wow. All this time she worried that she might not be good enough for him, not ever thinking he was feeling the same way about himself with her. It opened her eyes in a big way. "You wanna know why I'm with you? Because I'm in love with you," she said, smiling warmly when his eyes softened. "Simple as. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here all these months later." She stroked the back of his neck. "Joseph, baby, you're the one I want. You're my man and you make me happy. It's hard not having you here, yes, and I miss you like crazy, but remember I was on my own for a long time. Maybe that's why I've been able to handle your absence better than others. The stuff you do and the stuff you go through was a little hard to digest at first but I get it now. Lauren, Trinity and your sisters helped me; we talked about having loved ones that are constantly on the road, and they've helped me understand better. And I've already said I'll help you as much as I can. And as for me and Gin hooking up?" She laughed. "Trust me, Pamela has no intention for anyone else to be Mrs. Greene, so that's out of the question. I'm not going anywhere, and I sure as hell ain't lettin' _this_ go anywhere either." Flashing him a salacious smile, her hand slid down to his crotch to rub him through his pants.

"Hey, don't be playin' with me like that, or else Mia won't see her mama tonight," Joe warned.

Sasha laughed and kissed his cheek. "I love you. We're gonna be okay."

Gazing at his girlfriend, he nodded sincerely. "We are. And I love you too."

Smiling, she patted his shoulder and stood up. "Should I go up and run you a bath?"

"Nah, I'll just shower. I might fall asleep and drown in the fuckin' tub 'cause I'm so tired. Stay a little longer before you leave?"

"Sure."

Joe finished up with his early dinner and retreated upstairs to his bedroom, taking his shower while Sasha made sure his bed was comfortable. He joined her in bed and they quickly found each other, cuddling together. "Oooh, a Denzel movie," Sasha cooed as she flipped channels. "Can we watch? He's so gorgeous."

Joe pouted. "More gorgeous than me?"

"Of course not baby. Ain't no man as beautiful as mine," she assured him, stroking his bare chest soothingly, and laughed when he nodded his head, obviously satisfied with her reply. Sasha snuggled against him, feeling his lips bump the top of her head as they settled in to watch the movie. A few minutes had gone by when she heard light snoring above her, felt his weight a little heavier against her. She looked up at him and sure enough, he was asleep. Carefully, she untangled herself from his embrace and gently shifted him to a more comfortable sleeping position, drawing the covers up to his waist. She sat by him and took in his flawless features; his long lashes, chiseled cheeks and jawline, and Greek nose, and the warm fuzzy feeling in her stomach she always got when she looked at him resurfaced. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his forehead softly, then quietly left the room and made her way back home.

* * *

On the bright side, Joe's delayed return meant that he would be around for Christmas. On Christmas morning, Sasha showed up with the kids to spend time with him. T.K. was feeling slightly better and could move around but not do anything strenuous. After a fabulous breakfast spent exchanging gifts, the foursome went over to Pam and Elgin's, then later to Reggie and Cheryl's, and finished up at Alma's home with her family. Sasha's kids were introduced to Alma's two boys, Jacob and Matai Jr., for the first time. They were both a little younger than T.K. but the three boys got on like a house on fire. It was nice to see them all get along. After a long but fun day, the four returned to Joe's armed with presents and food. Settled contentedly on the sofa surrounded by wrapping paper, Joe watched Mia and T.K. fly the remote controlled helicopter Joe had bought T.K. for Christmas around the living room. Over at the kitchen, Sasha was putting things away in the refrigerator and cleaning up the countertop. Joe couldn't stop smiling at the scene before him. He had talked about it a few days ago with his mother and his sisters. They all supported him and told him to go for it if he thought it was the right time. Well, he did. Now it was her answer that mattered.

Feeling his eyes on her, Sasha turned around and grinned at him walking towards her. "What are you smilin' at, creep?" she asked, finding the goofy grin on his face amusing.

Joe came up to her and gently pressed his body against her own. He breathed in her hair...coconut, as usual. "Nothing much. Just thinking about how much I love you," he whispered.

"Aww, I love you too, big boy," she smiled, cupping his face in her hands and pulling him down for a long, slow kiss, the rest of the world fading away as they got lost in the embrace. Sasha held him close afterwards, closing her eyes and sighing blissfully.

Joe brushed his lips over her temple. "Let's go to bed," he whispered.

"Okay." Handing T.K. his medication, she kissed her children goodnight, told them clean up the living room before they went to bed, and then retreated to Joe's bedroom for the night. Sasha preciously cradled the brand new GoPro camera Joe had gotten her for Christmas, and she made a promise to give him a very memorable Christmas night to go with the portable massage cushion and the Kiehl's energizing men's kit she got him. As soon as she walked into the bedroom, Sasha halted, gasping at the sight outside the room.

The balcony looked so beautiful. There were white and red Christmas lights strung back and forth, high along the ceiling of the space, twinkling in the night sky. Red rose petals were sprinkled all over the daybed. A small round wooden table sat by the daybed, with a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and two glasses placed on top.

Sasha gazed up at Joe with wide eyes. "When did you do this?"

"The decorations were up before you came over in the morning. I snuck the champagne upstairs about fifteen minutes ago."

She turned back to the scene, filled with awe. Her man was so romantic. "It's beautiful."

Joe wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck. "I'm glad you like it. Come, sit." He led her to the daybed and they climbed in. He poured them each a glass of champagne and then raised his own. "Merry Christmas, Sasha."

"Merry Christmas, Leati." Clinking their glasses together, they exchanged a kiss, then Sasha drew the bed covers over her legs and took a sip of her champagne. "It's nice tonight," she remarked, feeling the breeze skate over her skin. She leaned back into the cushions next to Joe and looked out into the night sky, counting the stars above. Blessings from God, Pam's mother always called them. It was no coincidence that the midnight sky was littered with them tonight. She had so much to be grateful for. The past several months had been one blessing after the other for Sasha, not least of all the handsome man lying next to her. She turned her head to face him, and was met by breathtaking grey eyes, all intense and serious like always. A closer look told her that something was on his mind. "What?"

His eyes shifted, a frown crossing his features, and Sasha grew concerned. Putting away her champagne and edging closer to him, she cupped his face in her hand as he wrapped an arm around her and drew her close, not saying anything. "Joe, what is it? Talk to me," she implored.

"Move in with me."

Frowning, Sasha looked at him, unsure she'd heard right.

"Move in with me," Joe repeated, holding her gaze.

She sat up, tucking her hair behind her ear. "That is a very serious thing to ask, Joe," she said.

She felt him rise up beside her as well. "I know that, and I wouldn't ask if I didn't mean it," he said, as she turned to look at him. "I mean, you're here about eighty percent of the time these days, so why don't we make it official? I can get the two other bedrooms cleaned up for the kids, they'll each have one of their own. And I'll make space for you in my wardrobe and my bathroom and the vanity. There's more than enough room for everyone."

He bit his lip nervously at the look on her face, but he forged on. "I'm dead serious, Sash. I take our relationship seriously and I take you seriously. I want you here. You, Mia and T.K. Not just because of the whole thing that happened with T.K., but I want to come home from the road and see you all gathered in the living room hanging out, just like tonight, just like we always do when y'all come over. I want that. I want to take care of you. You'll never have to worry about paying the rent or looking over your shoulder again. It's what I want, but again, it has to be what _you_ want, too. It's your call. I'll never make you do anything you don't want to."

It was one thing for him to continuously drop a hint or two about moving in over a period of time, but to hear him say it out loud and transparently was another thing entirely. The idea of actually moving in with Joe shouldn't have made her nervous, but it did. She hadn't lived with anyone since Pam, and that had been a decade ago. And now Joe was inviting her and her children – three people – to share his personal space with him. It was scary, but it was also a very intriguing prospect. And the fact that this was what he wanted, that he didn't feel obligated or pressured to ask her, continued to display his level of commitment towards her. Her heart swelled in her chest.

"I have to talk to the kids," she said finally.

Joe gave her a tender smile. "No problem. Take your time," he replied. "Quick question though?"

"Yeah?"

"If T.K. and Mia weren't a factor and it was just you moving in…would you have agreed right away?"

She rubbed his knee idly as she contemplated the answer in her mind. "No," she said truthfully. "I'd have still had to think about it." Leaning up to kiss him, she pressed her face into his neck, suddenly overcome with emotion. "Thank you, baby. Today was amazing. This is easily the best Christmas I've ever had."

"Me too, _nani_. But you know what will make it even better?" Joe said, his voice suddenly deep and hungry, his heated gaze fixed intently on her own as he slowly undid the buttons in front of her dress with one hand. Sasha smiled back at him, letting him undress her. She did the same with him, taking her time to undress him, and as soon as she was finished she grabbed his face and kissed him deeply, the passion between them ratcheting up several notches as she pushed him back against the cushions of the daybed and straddled him.

* * *

_**I'm sorry for exploiting the stuff going on with Seth. But in all honesty, I wasn't sure how to anchor this chapter until that mess happened. No, I don't have an actual opinion of the incident because we don't know (and rightly should not know because frankly it's none of our business) what really happened.**_

_**Finally! Joe has asked Sasha to move in! What will she say? What will the kids say? Anyone expecting a swerve? *grins evilly* I love writing their private talks. They're just as fun as the smut.**_

_**By the way, the follow up to 'We Are Fire', called 'We Are Closer', is out. Kindly read and review!**_

_**Plenty reviews as an early birthday present, pweety pweese? *bats eyelashes***_

_**Thank you guys for the support! Enjoy Fast Lane!**_


	49. Chapter 49

_**A/N: On March 6th 2014 I posted the first chapter of this story on this site, my first WWE post in about three years after I started watching the product again. I kept my expectations low as I hadn't written anything in a while and my story plot didn't seem as entertaining as others, so I just hoped to get a couple of reviews here and there, you know? But one year and 49 chapters later, I am speechless by what has transpired with ITDE. Amazing does not describe it. I never expected this much feedback, never expected people to become so invested in this unassuming woman, her children and her happiness. That you all think this story is so realistic is incredible. I read all your reviews all the time, to the point that I know what to expect from your reactions now. There are my feisty girls, there are my laid back girls, and I ALWAYS look forward to what each of you has to say. You're all so wonderful and appreciated. Thank you so much for your incredible support, for helping me restore some much-needed self-confidence. Mwah to each of you.**_

_**Thanks to everyone for the lovely birthday wishes! Big shout out **__to Imagineer1392, LetItReign, Alisi824, Ctinaisfashion, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, Bharm, justkimmy, benova13, Paisley2 __**(hope your birthday went great :D)**__, PassionWriter101, ItReignsJustice-619, vegas angel baby, caleb's babe, LuxuriaVanitas, nikki1335, DeeMarie426, ChelleLew, corbettluv, Tammy, mitchy21, Shield316, CFierce116, princessreigns Olivia Reigns __**and **__IRENELOVE83 __**(thanks for steering me towards Empire – I am LOVING it!) for the last reviews!**_

_**Enjoy 49! Sorry I took so long to update.**_

* * *

Sasha stood outside the door to T.K.'s room, a tender smile crossing her features as she listened in on Mia groaning at her brother's bad jokes. The days after Christmas and the New Year were a very eventful time for the mother-of-two, as the Grill was increasingly busy thanks to the holiday season. She hadn't had the time to talk to her children about Joe's proposition. But now that she was free and they were all together at the same time, this evening was as good a time as any. Knocking on the door, she gently pushed it open. "Hey, can I talk to you guys for a minute?"

Mia immediately shifted to make room on the small bed for her mother to sit down. "What's up, Ma?" T.K. asked.

"I'd like your opinion on something. Both of you." As she rubbed Mia's back and assessed their expectant countenances, she took a deep breath and hoped that this little talk went down well. "How would you guys feel about…moving in with Joe?"

She saw both their expressions morph to surprise. "Moving in?" T.K. repeated, "You mean like, living with him? Permanently?"

Sasha nodded, making sure to make eye contact with each of her children as she spoke. "On Christmas Day he and I were talking, and he asked if the three of us could move in with him. I told him I'd talk to you both, that we'd mull it over, then give him an answer when we're good and ready." She exhaled softly. "So what do you guys think? You can be honest with me."

The two children exchanged glances. Mia gave her two cents first, a big smile on her face. "Yeah Ma, I wanna go," she said, leaning into her mother's side. "I like Joe and I like his house. It's huge and it's got a pool."

Of course her little girl was in it for the toys. She looked at her son, knowing he was the one that needed to be swayed. "What about you, Ty?"

T.K. seemed deep in thought. Then he looked at Sasha. "What do _you_ think, Ma?"

"Well, I like where he lives. It is a nice neighborhood. I think a change of scenery will be good for you both," she said. "He wants to hook y'all up with your own bedrooms, I'm sure you'd like that."

"Our own rooms," Mia gushed dreamily, reaching across her mother's lap to nudge her brother's knee. "Say yes, Ty!"

Tapping Mia's hand playfully, T.K. lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "I guess it won't be such a bad thing. I mean, it's not like we're moving out of town. Though Joe's place is a little far away from the main town."

"I don't think that'll be a problem," said Sasha. "I know the bus routes and school and the dance studio will be at a further distance, but we'll work that out." Holding onto their hands, she looked at both of them. "This is something I want you both to be comfortable with so take your time. Mull it over. Alright? Mia sweetie, go get cleaned up. I'm gonna make dinner."

Mia bounded out of the room, and Sasha and T.K. went into the kitchen. Now that his sister was out of earshot, the teen asked the question that was really on his mind. "Am I the real reason you want us to move?"

Sasha held his gaze and knew she had to be honest. "One of the reasons," she confessed. "What happened to you hit too close to home, baby. Montel next door said these gangs are drawing closer to this part of town. I can't leave us here anymore. I'm thinking about your sister too. If it wasn't Joe's place, then it would have been Pam's old apartment which is still on the market. It's over my budget, but I'd have come up with something, anything to get us outta here. Joe wants us closer to him and honestly, so do I. I wanna be with him."

T.K. took a seat at the kitchen table as he watched his mother start up on dinner. "Things are real serious between you now," he observed. "You gonna marry him?"

She opened the refrigerator. "We've talked about that," she confided, broaching this topic for the first time with T.K. "We agreed that there's still time for us to get to know each other. One step at a time, you know?"

"You do what _you_ want, Mama. If you wanna get married, do it. Don't let anything or anyone hold you back, especially not me and Mia. Life's too short for anything less."

Sasha glanced at her son, unsurprised by his serious tone. His near-death experience, like anyone else, had changed him; he was quieter, if that was possible. More pensive. He was still unhappy; Lamar was still missing, one month on, and the widespread rumor around the neighborhood and T.K.'s school was that the teenage drug dealer was most likely dead. Sasha didn't know what to think, and even though she didn't want to think the worst, she prepped herself up for it so she could be there for her son when he needed her. "You okay, baby?" she asked.

T.K. nodded his head and flashed her a warm smile. "I'm fine. I'm just happy for you and Joe. You deserve to be loved the way he loves you."

"I want you to be happy too," said Sasha.

"I'm happy when you're happy, Ma," the teen replied, biting his lip for a beat before glancing back at his mother. "So let's do it. Let's move in with Joe."

Sasha's smile broadened. "Okay. It's settled then." Leaning against the sink, she exhaled heavily and looked around. "You know, I'm really gonna miss this place," she said.

T.K.'s eyes raked over the streaks of mold on the ceiling and the corners of the wall, all of which he now knew by heart. Mother and son looked back at each other, and shared a laugh as they adamantly shook their heads.

"Nah."

"Not really."

* * *

Joe made his long-awaited return to TV at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, coming to aid of his Shield brethren against the Wyatt Family. Exchanging happy glances with Pam, Sasha's chest swelled with utmost pride when the crowd exploded as he came through the crowd for the first time in months. The fans had missed him and the feeling was very mutual. He moved around the ring like he'd never been gone. It was good to see the Shield as a trio again. Sasha could see the relief in Joe's eyes and how happy he was to be back there. It meant he would be away from her for long periods of time again but it was what it was. After what he'd endured with his injury he deserved to be back out there again doing what he loved. After all, his passion for the business was one of the traits that made her fall in love with him.

She would never forget the smile that lit up his face when she told him of her decision to move her and the kids in with him; a true, full-blown, no holds barred grin that illuminated his gorgeous face and caused her heart to flip. That a guy of his age was so open to commitment was surprising. With all the traveling he did, at the level he was in with his career and the love he had for what he did, nothing much else should have been important, and certainly not a woman and her two children. But Joe was different. Her man was special, and she would have it no other way.

Surprisingly, the move went smoother than Sasha had expected. By the end of the following month she had broken her lease with the landlord – a portly, grumpy old man she was glad to see the back of – allowing her to carry out the move. They didn't take too much from their old apartment; they tossed out half of their stuff because they were invariably useless, and they managed to sell a few things though they didn't make much in return. Joe, being away for most of the transition period, hired a professional crew to clean out and spruce up the two spare rooms for T.K. and Mia, under Sasha's careful supervision. The few times he made it home, he assisted with the process as much as he could.

Joe peered at his once sparse vanity table, an eyebrow raised at the numerous beauty and skincare products that now filled the surface. "Do you really use all of this stuff?" he asked. His bathroom sink had been taken over as well. He always wondered why women needed so many products.

"Of course," Sasha answered, picking up her Hugo Boss perfume and giving it a quick spritz in the air. "We're women, babe. We need way more things than men. I should show you what we use to take care of our hair alone. I like your bathroom sink by the way, it's perfect to wash my weaves in."

"Wash your weaves?"

"What? You think this hair gets cleaned up by itself? Er, no boo-boo. Handling a black woman's hair is hard work. We don't all got it good like you." She tugged his ponytail lightly and walked into his wardrobe, already divided with his things on the right and hers on the left. "Look, I'm already dominating all your stuff. I think I'm starting to feel bad already."

"Don't. I like it," he answered with a warm smile.

"I bet you'll change your mind when you find my bras and panties dripping from your shower rod," she laughed, picking up a suitcase she'd just emptied. "I'm done with this. Where can I put it?"

"I'll take it." Walking back into the main bedroom, he lifted the suitcase easily, trying to push it into an overhead compartment. "There's something else up there. Can you see it?"

Sasha sat on the edge of his bed and leaned back on her elbows, watching him move the suitcase around. "A little to the right," she said absent-mindedly, her attention drawn to his derriere. His t-shirt had ridden up, and her head slowly tilted for a better view. "A little more to the right...mm-hmm, very nice..."

"You checkin' out my ass, woman?" he grunted, finally shoving the suitcase in the right place.

Sasha fanned herself dramatically. "In my defense, it is a very fine ass." She watched him dust his hands, then crick his neck and stretch his arms. "You're so at ease with everything," she observed. When he cast her a puzzled look, she clarified, "Most guys would get all jittery about moving in with the girlfriend. But you? No sweat."

He shrugged, sitting down next to her on the bed. "I've told you a number of times; I'm not most guys. Five years ago? Yeah, I woulda definitely been jittery. I was too busy partying non-stop to even _think_ about keeping to one woman, let alone settling down. I moved Andrea in to live with me only because she was pregnant and I wanted to be closer to the baby. But now, I have no doubts, no conditions. I know I want this, a hundred percent."

Sasha shifted so she was lying flat on her back. "You've always wanted a family."

He nodded. "I have. And as much as I'm glad that you and the kids are moving in, it's not the only reason I asked you to."

"I know." It was time she stopped questioning him, questioning this. He had shown time and time again how much she and her children meant to him. Yes, it seemed too good to be true, and things like this didn't happen in real life. But it was happening to her, and all she could do was be thankful that it was. Love – true, unadulterated love – did exist. And it was an amazing feeling indeed.

She turned her gaze from the ceiling to look at him, observing the distant look in his eyes as he stared at her. "What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing, I just…" he trailed off, a grin on his face as he looked at his girlfriend, "I can't believe you're here permanently. I've thought about this day for a long time."

Returning his smile, Sasha ran her hand down his tattooed arm to link their fingers together. "You know…you'll be the first man I've ever lived with. Well, other than Ty of course. But it was me and my mom in the beginning, then Pam and her mom, then me and the kids."

He lay back on the bed as well, facing her. "Well then, I'm honored to be your first, _nani_."

Sasha squeezed his hand affectionately. "So, I guess it's time we set out some ground rules. Bedtime, chores, homework, taking out the trash and that sort of thing," she said.

Joe shrugged. "As long as you don't cut down our sex time I'm good with whatever rules you set. I'm hardly around as it is," he replied, causing her to laugh.

"I think our sex time will be just fine. Well, except for a few things here and there. Like less fucking in the cars. You know how curious Mia is. We wouldn't want her asking what that funny smell is."

"Good point," said Joe. "On the bright side you can be as loud as you want now. The house is big enough."

"Nope, not gonna risk it, not with Mia sleeping next door," Sasha refuted. "If it's big, then it echoes. Still don't know how they didn't hear us that night in the kitchen."

"Fine. I'll try to ease up on you then."

"Don't you dare. I love it when you go hard." She moved so she they were chest to chest, tucking her leg between both of his and smiling at what she felt there. "Hmm, speaking of hard…" she said, licking her lips at the inviting way he grinded against her leg. Their physical chemistry was way too combustible for words. Sasha wondered what it would be like now that they were under one roof.

Joe let his hands slither inside her t-shirt. "We can make it quick," he offered, knowing the kids were currently busy putting the finishing touches to their new bedrooms. Or so they thought.

"Mama, I'm hungry." Mia pushed the bedroom door open and strolled inside, narrowly spared the sight of her mother on top of Joe. Sasha had pulled away with lightning speed, sitting awkwardly beside her boyfriend. "What'cha doing?" Mia asked, eyes wide and innocent like always.

"Nothing, baby," Sasha answered quickly. "Go see if your brother needs help okay? I'll be right down."

"Okay." The little girl skipped away, and the moment she was out of sight, Sasha and Joe burst into laughter. That was a very close call. "You do know that this is what you're gonna have to deal with now, right?" she said.

Joe rubbed her lower back. "It's all good. We'll start by teaching her the importance of knocking. But for now, let's go feed your kids and your boyfriend."

Forty-five minutes later the four of them were gathered at the kitchen counter having lunch, their first official meal together. Joe listened in on the animated chatter with a smile, a great sense of contentment washing over him. At the end of lunch they all took part in cleaning up, with Joe showing T.K. how to operate the dishwasher.

"Ty, who's this Alexa girl that's been blowing up your phone?" Sasha piped up, snatching up T.K.'s phone before he could get to it. She scrutinized the caller I.D. "Pretty girl," she commented, "And white."

"Mom, that's racist," said T.K., "Can I have my phone back now?" He grabbed for the phone again but Sasha held it out of his reach. "Don't catch this back hand, fool. Answer the question. Who is she?"

Over his mother's head, T.K. sent a panicked look Joe's way. The older man merely shrugged a shoulder at him, leaving T.K. to fend for himself. Sighing deeply, the teen looked at his mom. "She's a wrestler on NXT."

"A wrestler?" Her top lip curled. "This is obviously from when y'all went to Orlando. Am I right?" Hands on her hips, she tossed Joe a glare, who glared right back.

"What'chu looking at me for? He made friends, so what?" he retorted.

T.K. gently pried his phone out of Sasha's grasp. "Exactly. I like her. She's cool."

"What? Like, _like_ her, like her?" Sasha prodded.

T.K. cringed. "Ugh! Ma, please let's not. I'm begging you."

"I don't want no hussy pawing my boy. Chanel was bad enough. I sure as hell ain't gonna deal with some prima donna 'Diva'."

"See Ma, this is why I don't tell you this stuff. You fuss too damn much." T.K. rolled his eyes and retreated to his new room.

Joe shook his head at his girlfriend. "Not cool, Sash."

"What, so y'all are gonna gang up on me now? I'm only trying to look out for him," she defended. "Next thing he'll tell me he's sleeping with her." She shuddered, then turned to Joe and noticed how he averted his gaze as he sipped on his protein shake. Sasha's mouth dropped open. "No!"

Joe sighed, sensing the incoming tirade. "Sasha, relax."

"Relax?" she repeated incredulously, "Are you trying to tell me he's…what?!"

He fixed her with a strange look. "Babe. He's eighteen and popular and good-looking. Surely you didn't think nothing would be happening by now."

She shoved his arm. "What the hell, Joe? Are you encouraging him? I don't even know who this girl is! How old is she? And why didn't you tell me about this?" she demanded.

"Because I don't break guy code."

"Guy code? What does that even mean?" She was at a loss for words. "You two got some _serious_ explaining to do."

"No we don't," Joe insisted, taking a hold of her elbow before she did something stupid. Like go off interrogating T.K. "Do _not_ go to him. If you do, I can guarantee you that he'll never speak to you again."

"What? Why?"

Letting out a small sigh, Joe released her arm. "Look doll, we don't really talk about this stuff to our moms, or anyone for that matter, alright? It's just…kinda embarrassing. Sorry to say but you won't be any different. So leave it."

The sane part of her forced her to stop and think over his words. As usual, he had a point. "I just don't want him to get hurt or make the same mistakes I did, that's all. Next thing you know we'll be talkin' about baby mamas."

"I get you. But you can't follow behind him every step he takes, either," said Joe. "If you pry you'll run the risk of smothering him. I know if you had your way you'd never let him near girls. But he's smart and careful. I'll try to make sure he is, anyway. Hell, be happy he's still with you. Guys his age are looking to fly the coop by now."

Gosh, she'd almost forgotten T.K. was an adult now. How did time fly so fast? Now her baby was having sex. The mere thought in itself was horrifying. Overwhelmed by all of this new information, she closed her eyes and exhaled. "Lord, be my strength."

Chuckling at the bewildered look on her face, Joe pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "Mamas. Y'all are so cute."

* * *

Joe went to check on Mia, finding the little girl seated on her queen-sized bed in her new bedroom. "Hey little lady. How are you finding your new room?" he asked.

It was a beautiful room, fit for an eight-year-old girl. She'd chosen the lavender color scheme herself, bedding and curtains and all, and Joe thought it looked fresh and fit her personality very well. There was a little desk in the corner, a small sofa and a couple of beanbag chairs next to the bed. Joe had added an alarm clock with satellite radio so she could listen to and dance to music, her favorite things to do. Mia nodded enthusiastically. "I love it," she said. "I don't really like sleeping alone all the time though. Can I stay with you and Mama whenever I get scared?" she asked.

"Sure you can. We're right down the hall. But can I let you in on something?" He leaned down close to her, as though about to reveal her a secret. Of course, he suckered her in, her eyes big and curious. "Big girls usually sleep in their own room. It shows you're becoming a grown-up," he said to her. "You're a big girl, and big girls don't get scared, right?"

"Yeah," Mia answered, nodding reverently.

"Good. So you're going to have to try to sleep in your own room more often, alright? Also, you got this little nightlight over here," he added, pointing at the little lamp on the nightstand. "I showed you how to turn it on and turn it off, remember?" He showed it to her again anyway, and Mia nodded her head, more convinced now. Joe was relieved. As much as he adored the little girl, he adored his nighttime fun with her mother just as much.

"Joe, can I ask you something?"

"Of course. Shoot."

"Are you gonna marry Mama?" Mia asked, meeting his eyes dead on when he looked at her. "You love her and she loves you, and when you love someone you marry them, right?"

"That's true little lady. But couples don't always get married right away," Joe explained. "They want to get to know each other some more and because marriage is a serious decision to make, they have to make sure it's what they both want. That's where your mom and I are right now, so it's going to take some time before that happens."

"Okay." Mia nodded, her expression thoughtful once again. "When you marry Mama, can I call you Daddy?"

Taken aback, Joe gazed at the little girl. He also did not miss the word she'd used. When, not if. "Is that what you want, sweetheart?"

Another pause, then, "Yeah." She lowered her head. "I never met my Daddy. Mama doesn't talk about him, but T.K. said he was a piece of trash." She twisted her hands in her lap, her voice growing uncharacteristically harsher. "I see how T.K.'s daddy talks to him and Mama and I don't like it. If my dad was ever like that then I'm glad I never saw him."

Joe's eyebrows shot up to his hairline in surprise. "That's a very strong thing to say. Does your mom know you feel this way?"

Mia shook her head, her expression steely with resolve, and at that moment she looked several years older than she was. "I've never told anyone. But it's true," she said. "Daddies are meant to love you and protect you. Every dad should be like Courtney's daddy or Uncle Reggie. Or you." She smiled up at him. "You'd make a very cool dad," she added.

The statement floored him, and he felt his throat clog with emotion. "Thank you. I appreciate that." It was all he could say at that moment; he was overflowing with emotion for this smart, gorgeous little girl. How quickly he had bonded with her, how good it felt to know she now trusted him enough to disclose her most private thoughts to him? To think that Andrea had tried to deny him of a feeling as amazing as this – it just made her actions seem colder and crueler than he already thought them to be.

Mia, observant as always, tilted her head as she peered at the big man. "Did I say something wrong?" Her eyes were panicked, but Joe placated her quickly, composing himself as much as he could. "Naw, sweetheart. I was just thinking about something."

"You look sad. Wanna talk about it? Mrs. Miller always says if you talk about stuff that's bothering you, you might feel better."

Joe couldn't help but grin at her. She was so darn cute. "Don't worry about me, little lady. I'm actually happy, and it's because you're all here. You, your mom and your brother."

"I'm happy we're here too." Mia smiled. Scooting closer to him, she wrapped her little arms around his neck in a tight hug and rested her head on his shoulder. She smelled of innocence and happiness and sunshine. Joe held her protectively, trying his damnedest not to well up.

"I love you, Joe," Mia whispered.

The Samoan squeezed his eyes shut. The first tear rolled down his cheek. Then a second. "I love you too, Mia."

* * *

"Babe, do you have a sec?"

Joe looked up from the bath he was running. "Everything alright?" he asked his girlfriend, puzzled when she pulled him to her side and took a picture of them. "What's with the pic?"

Leaning against the bathroom sink, she continued to type on her phone. "I, Mr. Reigns, am about to make my very first social media post, on Instagram." She sucked in a breath. "I'm kinda nervous. Your fans are going to pounce on this. This is the first time I'm really putting myself out there, ya know? Putting _us_ out there."

Joe pressed the button to turn off the jets of the Jacuzzi tub. "Not all of my fans are crazy, babe. But if you're so concerned then I suggest you make your Instagram account private."

"Okay." She took a deep breath, and then sent out the post to be immortalized by the internet. There. Done. She glanced up, drawn to the heady fragrances of shower gels and bath oils, and saw the tub was filled with bubbles. But it was the more appealing sight of Joe stripping off his clothes that grabbed her attention. He lowered himself gingerly into the water, and once he was seated, he exhaled loudly, leaning back and closing his eyes. Another three weeks of traveling and touring had gone by and he was glad to be home once again, even if it was for just a couple of days.

Sasha smiled at his relaxed state. "That looks nice."

"It feels amazing." His grey eyes opened and focused on her. "Come join me."

Why not, she thought. She took off her jeans and t-shirt, then her underwear. She flushed at the way Joe's ash-colored eyes glossed over with desire as they raked over her frame. She would never stop enjoying the way he looked at her. She stepped into the spacious tub and sat opposite him, her legs in between his. "Ooh, it _is_ nice." The water was warm and soothing, and the mint and eucalyptus oils in the water were already opening up her pores.

"WrestleMania's fast approaching," said Joe. "It's going to be a crazy couple of weeks."

"Ah, WrestleMania. I've always known _that_ was a big deal," Sasha's smile brightened. "T.K. and Mia have been talking about it. They wanna come to this one." She picked up his left foot and start to massage it. Joe's eyes widened and then he closed them and leaned his head against the tub with a groan. "That feels so good. Thanks baby girl. The company gives us a bunch of free tickets for family, so T and Mia will definitely be there. It's gonna be a wild time." He smiled pensively at her. "I still can't believe I have two WrestleManias under my belt already. I swear to God I nearly threw up both times, it was so nerve-wracking."

"You'll be fine," she promised, her eyes narrowing at the pained look on his face as he favored his neck. "You alright?"

"My neck's a little sore. Took a hard bump last night after spearing Kane," he said.

"I could give you a massage if you want," Sasha offered.

"Do I get a happy ending?" he winked.

"Baby," she warned playfully, dismissing his come-on. "Oh, before I forget, would you mind if I asked you to hype Reggie's Bar and Grill on Twitter?"

"All business now, huh?" Joe smirked, but nodded. "Sure, I don't mind."

"Thanks. There's only so much _I_ can do," she laughed. "Every wrestling fan that shows up at the Grill always thinks you're there. Now that they know we're in a relationship, they instantly assume you live at the Grill or something."

Laughing, Joe leaned forward and pulled Sasha onto his lap, ignoring the water sloshing over the tub, and wrapped his arms around her. Sasha rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. "Can we stay like this?" she murmured. "We're home alone and it's nice and quiet. Let's just…not move?" She didn't know when they would have quality time like this again, so she was determined to milk it for all it was worth.

Joe rubbed her arm affectionately and settled his nose in her hair. "Sure, baby girl." Living together was going smoothly so far. They'd all slipped into a routine that was beneficial to everyone. It was a very rewarding feeling when Joe returned home and found them all there, and sometimes he wanted to pinch himself. The move was shaping up to be a very good idea. He and Sasha knew each other's habits and had seen each other at their best and at their worst. There was almost nothing that could scare them away from the other now.

They stayed in the water until it got cold and the suds were all gone. Getting out of the tub together, Joe slung a towel around his hips, then grabbed a fluffy white bathrobe and wrapped it around Sasha. "You gonna shave anytime soon?" Sasha asked Joe.

"Thought you liked the beard," he said, rubbing his chin. "Bearded for your pleasure and everything."

"I do. I like it better when you're all cleaned up and trimmed though. It looks so sexy, especially on TV."

"I'll shave tomorrow," said Joe. "The replay of the 49ers game should be on by now. Wanna see how my boy Kaepernick did."

Sasha rolled her eyes playfully. "And there goes our cuddle time."

Joe's brows furrowed. "What'chu mean? I always got time to cuddle my girl."

"It's not the same when you watch football," she pouted. "You abandon me."

"No I don't, don't be dramatic." He chuckled when she pouted some more, and leaned in to kiss her lips. "Alright alright. I won't abandon you this time, I promise."

Downstairs, the front door bell sounded. "I'll go get it," Sasha said, pulling away from him.

"Could you get me some popcorn on the way back, babe? Pretty please? I love you," he added, all but batting his eyelashes.

"Sure you do." She rolled her eyes again, squealing when he swatted her backside as she left the bathroom. Quickly throwing on one of his t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants, she made her way downstairs and opened the door.

Her eyebrow lifted curiously as a young, attractive woman stood at the steps. "Hi. Can I help you?" asked Sasha.

The young woman flipped back her long brown hair, a hint of nervousness in her striking hazel eyes. "Hi, I'm looking for Joe? Joe Anoa'i?" she answered.

The first thing thought came to the mother-of-two's mind was that this was a groupie. Or perhaps an ex-girlfriend or a former fling. This was the first one showing up at his doorstep though. "I'm sorry, you are…"

"I was hoping I could talk to Joe," the woman said, ignoring the question and zeroing in on the shirt Sasha wore, as though she recognized it. Yeah. Definitely an ex. What the hell did she want?

"Look Ma'am, I'm not a fan girl. Joe knows who I am," the woman said, craning her head to look into the house. "I just want to talk to him, nothing more. Both of his cars are parked out front so I know he's home."

Something about this girl didn't sit right with Sasha at all. "Look, there's no one by that name here," she said. "You're at the wrong address. Sorry I can't be of any help." She started to shut the door, glad to be rid of her.

"Ma'am, I know exactly where this is. I used to live here with him, after all."

Huh?

Sasha pulled the door open again, giving the girl a cold look, not knowing whether to believe her or not. She sounded convincing, but then again, with Google and social media at your fingertips, anyone could sound convincing. Besides, Joe never brought any girls over to this house back in the day. So he said. There was only ever just the one, and that was because she was...

_Oh my god._

Everything else melted away into nothing as her thoughts and musings suddenly and abruptly clicked into place. Sasha looked over the girl again – _really_ looked at her – absorbed the knowing look in her eyes, and stark realization loomed terrifyingly over her like a dark, menacing cloud.

No…it couldn't be…it _can't_ _be_…

"Who are you?" she demanded, already feeling her world – and Joe's – crumbling all around her.

The girl smiled. "I'm Andrea. May I come in?"

* * *

_**I know I'm torturing you all, but this story could not be complete without a face-off between the two women who have had such a profound effect on Joe. So let's discuss. How do you think the next chapter will go? Will Sasha rip out Andrea's throat with her bare hands and hide the evidence? Yes? No?**_

_**Jasha are finally living together! Thoughts?**_

_**For the uninitiated, I have an ongoing Roman/OC series named 'We Are'. I'm on the third instalment, and I hope you get to read them and hopefully tell me what you think? :) Fourth coming soon.**_

_**Kindly review! Mwah!**_


	50. Chapter 50

_**I'm so sorry I've taken this long to update. I've been busy with French language school, as well as suffering from writers block. C'est dommage. ;)**_

_**50 chapters! Woo hoo! Big thank you to **__Imagineer1392, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, nikki1335, LetItReign, PassionWriter101, Sasha, benova13, Shield316, Bharm, LuxuriaVanitas, princessreigns, DeeMarie426, justkimmy, Brittany, ChelleLew, corbettluv, Paisley2, fenner82, CFierce116, Olivia Reigns, IRENELOVE83, Guest, vegas angel baby, M.J Irving __**and **__ItReignsJustice-619__** for the last reviews, and an even bigger thank you to everyone who has been there from the beginning and has been kind enough to review every single chapter. You are all super-amazing!**_

_**I don't know about y'all but I am absolutely LOVING all the Roman Reigns WrestleMania week exposure – the interviews, commercials, talk shows, photo shoots, everything. People can say what they want but he deserves this, and I have to say he films very, very well. ;) Absolutely loving it.**_

_**Are you ready for the Sasha-Andrea showdown? Will there be one? Find out now!**_

* * *

_So this is her_, Sasha thought as she stared at the woman before her, a mix of emotions coursing through her. _This is the bitch that fucked him up._ And she was gorgeous, just like she'd expected. Like Danielle. Like Chrissy. Looks-wise, her boyfriend sure knew how to pick 'em. And now that she had finally put a face to the name, she was already thinking up of ways to rearrange it.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in the calmest possible way, wondering how long she would stay calm for. She shut the door behind her, blocking the door handle in case the trick was having any smart ideas.

Andrea continued to smile that sickly sweet smile. "Joe and I are old friends," she explained. "We lost touch a long time ago. I happened to be in town and wanted to see how he was doing."

"He's doing fine, no thanks to you."

The brunette started to speak again, then stopped short, her features suspicious. "I'm sorry…who are you exactly?"

"I'm his girlfriend, and I also happen to live here," Sasha replied, crossing her arms. The Jezebel in front of her did not deserve to know her name, let alone be on first-name terms with her. "And I know who you are. You ain't no friend. You got some nerve showing your face around here. You really think after what you did to him, he'd want anything to do with you?"

Andrea raised an eyebrow. "Look, lady. I don't have a problem with you. I just want to talk to Joe for a minute, so if you could just let me come in-"

"I wouldn't let you in here if the rest of the damn world was on fire," Sasha snapped. Who the hell did this little heffa think she is? Sasha had a mind to smack her hard enough to send her tumbling down the front steps, then call up Trinity so she could come finish the job. If the Diva knew Andrea was here, Sasha knew she would immediately hop on the next flight from whatever city she was at so she could come down here and beat her ass herself. But she didn't need Trinity. If push came to shove – and oh, she hoped it did – she could handle it all by herself.

Meanwhile Andrea continued to stand there defiantly, sizing Sasha up. "So he's told you about me and what happened," she said. She sounded almost...proud. "Not that it's any of your business, but you wouldn't understand-"

"I understand fine," Sasha interrupted. "I have two children of my own, none of whom were planned. But I kept them both because I'm not a savage that would tear my own body apart just because I wasn't getting my way in life."

Andrea tossed her dark hair back, her hazel eyes flashing with anger. "I'm sorry lady, but you have no right to judge me. You don't know me, neither do you know my side of the story."

"And I don't care to know your side. It's your word against his and last I checked, my loyalty lies with him. He's never had a reason to lie to me." Sasha's fists itched for some action. There was an inexplicable air of arrogance and amusement exuding from this woman that grated her nerves with each passing second.

Andrea leveled the older woman with a glare. "You do know nobody's perfect right? Not me, not you, and certainly not your boyfriend. Since he's never lied to you, I guess he's told you all about his constant partying and drinking and pill-popping. Maybe he's still at it and you've seen it for yourself. If that's the case, you're stronger than you look, sticking by him, exposing your kids to that. The traveling must suck too. Him being away all the time? Surely you must wonder what he's up to, who he's with. How have you been coping with that? Or are you simply ignoring it all and only sticking around so you can leech off his fame and money?"

Sasha had to look around to find out who the fuck she was talking to. Her voice was calm but it dripped with venom and murderous intentions. "First of all, bitch, you ever speak that way to me again, I will knock your ass out. You should be on your hands and knees _begging_ for his forgiveness, not running your mouth and acting like your shit don't stink. Second, I know what's going on with him, and he knows about me. That's because we actually talk. We sit down and communicate and work things out. And don't even try to make this about me. This is about you showing back up three years after murdering the baby of the man you claimed to love – _your_ baby – in cold blood, and you talk about _me_ leechin'? You stand there talking about his shortcomings as if it should justify what you did, and if you really believe that, then little girl you are more evil than I've always thought you to be." She stepped right up to her until they were nose to nose. "Now, are you gonna leave or do I have to make you?"

"Sash."

Joe's deep voice garnered both women's attention. The mother of two turned to find her boyfriend stepping through the front door. "Joe," she breathed.

Moving purposefully towards the two women, he said to Sasha in a low, flat voice, "Get inside. I'll handle this." His face was eerily expressionless, focused on Andrea. Sasha turned back to the other woman, noting how her demeanor softened at the sight of her ex-boyfriend. "Are you sure?" she asked Joe. She didn't want to leave him alone with this bitch, not for one second.

"Positive." He hadn't taken his eyes off Andrea. "Give us a minute alone. Please?"

He took Sasha's hand and gently caressed the back of it with his thumb, a silent assurance that he was okay. If he said he was okay, Sasha thought resignedly, then she had to take his word for it. She stroked his arm encouragingly, and casting a final menacing glower at the other woman, she turned her back, squaring her shoulders, and disappeared inside the house.

Once Sasha was gone and the two of them were left alone, Andrea's smile widened. "Hi," she said to Joe, tucking her hair behind her ear as she scanned his features. "It's been a long time. You look good."

His expression didn't change. "Give me one reason I shouldn't pick up the fuckin' phone right now and call the police," he demanded, cutting right to the chase. "I know I told you to stay the hell away from me. Did you forget something here? Ask Trinity; she's the one who cleared out your shit."

Andrea took a deep breath. She had expected this reaction. "Joe, I'm not looking for a fight. I was in the area and I thought I'd stop by. I remembered you usually have today and tomorrow as your days off. I tried to contact you a couple of times, but it was obvious you'd changed your phone number and your email. I just wanted to check on you, see how you've been doing."

"Why? So you could pick on the bones of what you thought was left of me?" Joe sneered. "Sorry to disappoint. I'm doing good now. It took me a long while, but I am. I got out of the gutter you left me in and I made it back on my own two feet."

"I'm glad to see that."

"Are you?"

The brunette sighed. "We may have ended things badly but it doesn't mean I don't care about you, Joe."

"If you cared about me you'd never have done what you did," the Samoan retorted coldly, chills sweeping over him as that fateful day swam before his eyes; her lying in that hospital bed shedding those phony-ass crocodile tears; the rage that consumed him when she confessed the truth; he could still hear the smash of the vase he'd thrown across the hospital room…He'd never felt the kind of emotion he'd felt that day and he never wanted to again. But now here she was, the living embodiment of those horrifying memories, still lying to his face three years later. Hadn't she done enough?

"Joe, you don't know how sorry I am for hurting you," she was saying. "It's been three years, but I still think about it every single day. Back then I was in a bad place in my life, and I didn't know what was wrong with me until about six months after we broke up. I was diagnosed with depression. Apparently, I've had it for a while, and that was why I was the way I was; why I was so angry and upset and I did the things I did. But I'm getting better. I moved to Virginia and got a job as a receptionist at a local magazine. The chiropractor thing didn't work out, so I took a different career path." She smiled. "I see you're doing well, too. You're on TV now, wrestling. You wanted this so bad, and I'm glad you made it. I'm proud of you."

_Liar. _She'd never wanted him to be a wrestler. That was what started this whole mess in the first place. Shaking his head, Joe wasn't surprised by the performance she was putting on. He'd seen it many times before. "Look. I'm sorry about your depression, I really am. But that gave you no right to do what you did to me. It was cold and calculated and premeditated and it went on for weeks behind my back. Even worse, you got me involved and you lied to my face over and over. We were together for two years and not once did I lie to you. I never claimed to be the best boyfriend, but it didn't stop you from preying on my hopes and dreams and using it to destroy our relationship and our future together. So forgive me if I don't seem thrilled about anything you have to say."

He bristled, his fingers dragging through his hair impatiently when he spotted the tears filling her eyes. "Don't do that, Andrea," he said harshly, cutting his gaze away. "I ain't buying that shit. Save your tears for someone who cares."

Sniffling, she wiped the corner of her eye with a finger. "Sorry. I can't help it."

"You haven't changed a bit, have you? You manipulated me then and you're trying to manipulate me now."

She looked at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. "Joe, please. I know what I did was selfish and hurtful. I know you wanted to be a father but I wanted us to be together first and foremost. I was all alone in our own relationship. You were gone all the time and I just wanted you home. If I didn't get pregnant you would never have come home and you would never had stayed with me. I thought I was doing what I had to do but I went about it the wrong way and I'm sorry. You don't know what it was like for me after it happened; how terrible I felt about everything. I made a mistake and hurt you." She gazed at him, taking one small step towards him. "But if you let me, I can make it all up to you, Joe, for as long as I can. We can start over, and I can make things right between us."

Joe gaped at his former lover, absorbed the loaded content of her words, and it took all of his willpower not to laugh in her face. "Are you fuckin' kidding me?" he said, incredulous. "Do you really think I could ever have any trust in you as a friend, let alone a girlfriend, after what you did to us? To your own self? I don't know if I could ever forgive you, Andrea, but I know I can never forget what you did. I did some soul-searching of my own and I know I'm to blame too. It's on me too, what you did. I was young and stupid and self-centered. I should have seen it all coming. But I didn't, because I was too caught up in my independence and my own ego, and I was almost destroyed because of it. For three years I didn't date because I was scared that some other woman was going to do this to me again. I was paranoid and hurt and broken, and I started hurting myself in the process." He wished he wasn't telling her about any of this; he sure as hell wished he didn't sound as emotional as he did, but she needed to know the damage her selfishness had caused, just in case the loss of a baby hadn't done that, even after three years. He pointed at the door behind him. "That woman you saw out here, ready to claw your eyes out? She built me back up. She's never tried to control me. Not once has she complained about me leaving to do my job and do what I love. She's never asked anything of me. She listens to me. I listen to her. I don't dread coming home, wondering what mood she's gonna be in. I'm happy to go on the road and go to work, but not because I'm trying to get away from her. Hell, I'm missing her the moment I walk out the front door. Our relationship isn't perfect, but we sit down and work things out every time. That's the difference between you and her."

"You sound more sure about her than you ever were with me. Why? Because she has children?" Andrea demanded, her remorseful stance fading as she crossed her arms. "I know you, Joe. You wouldn't be caught dead with a woman like her in a previous life, so what changed? Are you trying to compensate for what you lost?"

The audacity of this girl. It was hard to believe that he'd ever felt anything remotely affectionate for her. "What I lost, _you_ took from me. And that previous life you're talking about is dead. I'm no longer the shallow egomaniac you knew five years ago. Sasha and her kids are my world now, and she's more than likely the person I'm going to spend the rest of my life with. So if you think you can come up here and disrespect her, you got another thing coming."

"At least I had the guts to come here and admit my mistakes," Andrea argued, "Shouldn't you at least respect that?"

Joe shook his head. "I have no respect for child murderers," he retorted, his tone so cold and emotionless that she flinched. But he was determined to have the final say, to shut all of this bullshit down once and for all, even if it meant taking drastic action this time around. "I still have the documentation of everything you did," he said to his ex-girlfriend. "The doctor's report, the prescriptions, everything. I've kept my mouth shut all this time and I'm still willing to. But if you ever come near me or her again, or you try something stupid like going to the dirt sheets to sell your story to make a quick buck because I'm a public figure now, I will tear shit up. I will expose you for the conniving bitch that you really are and by the time I'm through with you, you'll wish you could take back the night you met me in Georgia Tech. That's a promise."

Andrea had the decency to look offended. "Sell my story?" she repeated, "Do you really think I'm capable of doing something like that?"

"You aborted your own baby to get my attention. Airing our dirty laundry for the world's attention will be nothing to you," he answered caustically. "You and I are done, Andrea. For good. I told you never to come back here again. That was all I asked, and you couldn't even do that. And now that I see that you don't want to stay away, I'll have no problem calling up my attorney to obtain a restraining order as well." He glared at her. "Three years ago I said you were dead to me, just like our baby is. That sentiment hasn't changed. Now get the hell off of my property."

He didn't wait for her to respond. Retreating into the sanctuary of his home, he shut the door, and it took a monumental effort not to slam it. Striding into the house, he saw Sasha waiting for him in the kitchen from his peripheral vision, but he walked past her without a word, marching upstairs. He heard her scrambling after him, following him up the stairs. "Joe? Baby, are you okay?"

He didn't know how much she had heard and right now he didn't care. "I need a minute."

"Joe-"

"I need a minute," he reiterated, his harsher tone halting Sasha in her tracks. Before she could say more, he had shut the door to their bedroom behind him, leaving her alone in the hallway. She stood there, at a loss for what to do and feeling shut out. She then made her way into Mia's room, her movements downcast and robotic. Lying on the bed, she absently picked up one of her daughter's Bratz dolls, and she fought the urge to cry as the feeling of helplessness began to overwhelm her. That bitch had the nerve to show up here, no doubt to weasel her way back into Joe's life. Undoubtedly, old feelings and emotions had been dredged up once again. Her love was hurting, and there was nothing she could do to alleviate his pain. She'd looked into her boyfriend's eyes, and the mother of two had to wonder if he had bought any of the spiel Andrea had spewed. Not that she was doubting her boyfriend or where they stood in their relationship; Sasha knew Joe loved her. But there was no denying that Andrea still had a psychological grip on him. Had he finally found the strength to break that hold once and for all? Or was she going to hang over their heads for the rest of their relationship?

"_Nani_."

Her head whipped towards the door. She hadn't heard him come into the room. She sat up. "Hey."

Joe stood for a moment, watching her. Slowly, he crossed the bedroom and sat down on the bed next to her, his heart wrenching at the tears that had formed in her eyes. "Please don't cry, Sash. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

Sasha shook her head and wiped her face. "That's not why I'm crying. I just hate seeing you unhappy and feeling like I can't do anything to help." She put her hand on his knee. "How are you feeling right now?"

"I've been better, but I'm okay," he assured her, his eyebrows knitting together with disgust. "The nerve of her, showing her face here after everything. I don't know what she said to you but I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Don't apologize, baby. I handled my business. I'd do it over again in a heartbeat for you. A queen protects her king no matter the cost," she said, reaching up to stroke his long hair.

Smiling tenderly at her sweet words, Joe kissed the top of her head. "I went into our room because I left my phone there. I called my lawyer, told him to file a restraining order against Andrea ASAP. The quicker he gets it done, the better. If she comes within five hundred feet of me again, her ass is going straight to jail."

"You think that will stop her?" asked Sasha.

"It better. Or I'll find out where she works and email every single document of what she did to me to her current boss. Let 'em know the kind of person that's working for him."

"I don't want you to be so vindictive, Joe."

"If that's what it'll take to keep her out of my life for good, then I will. If she's still looking for my attention, then I'll give it to her. But she just might not like it."

Sasha nodded and leaned against him, feeling his arms wrap around her and his face nestle into her neck, and she rubbed her arm up and down his broad back. She could feel the tension still coursing through his body. Seeing that vile woman could not have been easy for him. "You sure you're okay, baby?"

He pulled back from her and nodded his head slowly but confidently. "I am. I'll admit it was fuckin' surreal seeing her again, but I'll be fine."

"That's good, that's good," Sasha replied. "I didn't hear you yelling, and I don't know how you were so calm. Best believe I was ready to snatch that bitch." When he let out a chuckle in response, her heart soared at the sound. "There's that smile I was looking for," she murmured, running a finger under his bottom lip.

Joe pressed his lips to her finger. "You always make me smile, baby girl."

"You sure you don't want to talk about what happened?" she asked, meeting his eyes.

"There's nothing to talk about. Not anymore. I'm done letting her haunt me. I wanna move on, baby, and I wanna move on with you. Starting now," he declared.

Her heart give a little lurch at the sincerity of his words. "I'd really like that," she whispered.

"Good." As he cupped her face and rested his forehead against hers, he realized he meant what he said. Sasha had been nothing but a Godsend, and he owed it to both her and himself to put his past behind him where it belonged if they were ever going to take the next crucial step in their relationship. "I love you, Sasha. Never forget that."

"Never. I love you too." She closed her eyes and a grin came over her face as she sensed the weight finally lift off both their shoulders and the power shift fully into her possession. Joe belonged to her, hundred percent now, and ecstatic could not begin to describe how good it felt to know that.

* * *

_**I'm such a sap! *weeps***_

_**That went well, didn't it? Short and sweet, in my opinion.**_

_**I want to confidently say we have seen the last of Andrea – because let's face it, she doesn't deserve to be anywhere near Joe or Sasha ever again, does she? Hopefully, now that we're approaching the final few chapters, it will finally be smooth sailing for Jasha. And don't worry about me taking long to update the next chapter, I'm about halfway done with it. Perhaps if I could bribe you to leave as many reviews as possible so that I can update faster? Yes? ;)**_

_**WrestleMania is this Sunday. (Yes! Yes! Yes!) Can't wait to see how it all goes down. Enjoy the weekend, guys! It's gonna be fun.**_


	51. Chapter 51

_**Wrestle-freaking-Mania. Just when you're having doubts about the show because of its weird build-up, they go and do **_**that**_**! This was the Mania of epic entrances (Rusev's, holy cow!). Then Ambrose being broken in two on a ladder, DX vs. NWO, Roman smiling while getting his ass kicked, Seth cashing in and me marking the heck out when he won. Fabulous. Roman will get his chance, I'm not worried about that. Very good show.**_

_**BREAKING: Best of luck to A.J. Lee as she retires from wrestling. Really liked her and what she represented in the ring.**_

_**Now, back to Jasha. Thank you so much to **__too much drama 1225, LetItReign, PassionWriter101, Alexis Black-Reigns, shamonticupcake, ChelleLew, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, ItReignsJustice-619, Chermayne, fenner82, justkimmy, Bharm, princessreigns, nikki1335, Paisley2, CFierce116, corbettluv, M.J Irving, DeeMarie426, Tammy, Siren's Call to the Dead,Olivia Reigns, IRENELOVE83, suminshi, JxTina, vegas angel baby __**and**__ Shield316__** for the reviews. You guys are brilliant! For a while I was trying to remember if the character's name was Andrea or 'That Bitch', lol.**_

_**Y'all wanted smut…be careful what you wish for… ;) Enjoy!**_

* * *

As Andrea became a distant memory, a very special week was dawning. Sasha was celebrating her thirty-sixth birthday, and in five days, she and Joe would be completing their first year as a couple. Sasha received a lot of birthday love and gifts from friends, which was heartwarming. Last year's birthday was a quieter affair with her kids, taking them out for a nice family dinner. She was very pleased that she could afford to take them somewhere fancier this year. Joe sent a whopping thirty-six bouquets of roses, one for each year of her birth and in different colors. They covered the porch and the doorstep, a nice surprise for Sasha as she returned home with Mia after picking her up from school. Mia had a lot of fun arranging the bouquets around the big house. Sasha adored the flowers, but it only her miss her man more, as he was once again thousands of miles away at work.

Back in the quiet comfort of their bedroom as she settled in for the night, Sasha received a strange text from Joe.

_**1 New Message**_

_**From: G.I.**_

_**Sent: 11.35 pm**_

_Turn on the radio._

He knew she had a radio station that she listened to religiously. Wondering what this was about, she did as he instructed. She had to wait for the male DJ to go through a number of shout-outs, and then, "...So Joey from San Antonio got in touch with us, and he wants to dedicate the next song I'm about to play to Sasha, who's in Tampa. It's 'Dreams' by Boyz II Men, and it's for Joey's special girl Sasha on her birthday. Good choice, Joey. Enjoy and happy birthday Sasha from us here in the studio!"

_Here I am again, wondering if you're okay_

_Can't stop this troubled heart, 'cause we're apart, miles away_

_Phone pressed up to my ear, wish you were here holding me_

_A face to go with your sweet voice will bring me joy, totally_

_I know I can't be there, baby it's alright_

_I'll be waiting for you tonight_

_I pray that you'll be there when I close my eyes_

_Meet me in my dreams tonight_

Sasha felt her eyes sting as the lyrics washed over her, driving all her feelings home. Joe was in San Antonio, and she was stuck here in Tampa without him. He knew this was one of her favorite songs, and to imagine him saying the words to her made her heart ache and feel lonelier than ever. She was currently wearing one of his t-shirts, and it smelled just like him. Right before the song ended, she decided to give him a call. She made sure to get rid of all traces of her tears before picking up her phone and dialing his number.

"Calling me to say thank you?" He had obviously expected her call. Sasha could almost see the smirk tugging his lips. What she wouldn't give to kiss those lips right now.

"Thought you hated the name Joey," she said.

Joe's voice danced with amusement. "Well _you_ took a liking to it. And I needed some form of anonymity."

Sasha smiled dreamily. "Baby, that was so sweet," she told him. "I love that song."

"I know you do. What did you do today?"

"Not much. Got a nice big cake from Reggie, Amber and the others at work. I saved you some. Cheryl took me shopping in the afternoon, I took the kids out to dinner and my boyfriend flower-bombed me."

"Did you like the roses?"

"Very much. But now they're literally everywhere thanks to Mia. The house smells great though," she replied, ending with a forlorn sigh. "I wish you were here, baby. When will you be home?"

"Sooner than you think," said Joe. "I only have one day when I get back but we'll make the most of it."

"Okay. So what are you up to right now?" she asked, sitting Indian style on the bed.

"Not much. Just being the gypsies that we are. You know how it goes."

"You sound out of breath," Sasha noticed, "Everything alright?"

"I'll be fine in a few seconds. Um, babe, I need a teeny favor."

"What's that?"

"Could you come get the door? It's a little chilly out here and I got two big bags and my house key's buried somewhere, so..."

Confused, Sasha was about to ask what the hell he was talking about when she heard the doorbell ring downstairs. The sound echoed through her phone at the exact same time, and suddenly, it all fully registered in her brain.

_He's here!_

Her phone slipped from her hand. "Motherfucker!"

She was downstairs in a flash. Sasha threw open the door, and her legs nearly gave out at the sight before her. He was decked out in his Shield gear; the vest, cargo pants all the way to his combat boots, his long hair flowing down his shoulders and chest. She'd never seen anything so gorgeous.

Joe smiled at the way she was staring at him, as though she was unsure he was real. "What's up, baby girl?"

Oh wow. He'd flown in all the way from San Antonio to surprise her. In his ring gear, no less. She'd told him once before that it was her secret fantasy, to make love to him in his Shield gear. Obviously he remembered. _God I love this man._

Without a word, she dragged him inside with both hands, and her mouth was on his before she'd pushed him against the door. Her tongue immediately sought his own and her hands roamed over his body.

"You got too many clothes on," Sasha griped, fumbling with his belt.

"Can't say the same for you," he said, delighted to discover she was naked underneath the oversized shirt she was wearing. _His _shirt. So hot.

Sasha grabbed his hand, hurrying him upstairs. The door to the bedroom swung open, and the two of them stumbled inside, not willing to stop their passionate kissing for even the few seconds it took to enter a room. They yanked at clothing, peeling back the layers of garments until it was just skin against skin. The sight of her man naked was enough to make Sasha pause. "God, you're beautiful," she whispered. Stepping closer to him, she kissed his bare body, her lips and tongue moving skillfully over his chest, her fingers tracing his abdomen. She heard him groan with need, and suddenly, she was in his arms as he carried her to the bed.

He laid her down gently and moved on top of her, positioning himself between her legs. The need to have her was overwhelming at this point, so Joe wasted no time easing himself inside her. Sasha gasped and arched her head back as he thrust deep into her. Their hips met, merged, as he found his rhythm, and she wrapped her legs around his body. Leaning down, Joe found her mouth and kissed her tenderly, gently nipping her lower lip with his teeth. He moved down to her neck, trailing the tip of his tongue along her collarbone. Sasha began to moan as he thrust harder, more urgently, waves of pleasure washing over her. Her arms slid up under his shoulders, pulling him closer to feel his warm skin and his body rocking against her own. Minutes later, the feeling overtook them and they both came; Sasha climaxing first, with Joe close behind. Their arms wrapped around each other as they lay on their sides facing one other.

"Happy birthday, _nani_." He smiled his beautiful smile that always made her melt. She kept one leg around his hip, her fingers raking through his dark, silken locks. "I'm so happy you're here," she whispered. "How were you able to get home earlier?"

"Talked to Paul and Stephanie. I'll have to be back a day earlier though," he answered. "We're meant to be in Vegas this week for Raw and a few other things. But since our anniversary is coming up during the week, I want you to come with me."

She didn't hesitate. She would sort out the logistics later. "Okay."

Joe smiled and breathed her in, glad to be in her arms again. "I got your presents from the guys at work but they're in my bag downstairs."

"We'll get them in the morning," she replied, leaning in to kiss him tenderly. "Get some sleep, baby. You're going to need it. 'Cause when we wake up I'm gonna make you put on your Shield vest, and I'm gonna ride you hard and long until you forget your own name." She grinned. "Believe that."

* * *

A few days later, the couple was on their way to Las Vegas. A TV and radio interview was scheduled in the morning and afternoon respectively, followed by Raw at night. Then, the night after the Smackdown taping, they had a launch party to attend. To this day, how they managed to combine all of these events was beyond Sasha. She found it rather exhausting, but she wasn't about to complain, not when Joe was doing it with a smile on his face.

The first stop was at MTV studios for The Shield. Sasha kept herself as inconspicuous as possible in the corner of the studio, subtly taking pictures on her phone. The trio was given fifteen minutes to meet with the fans before they left. They seemed to have doubled in number and they were just as loud. The boys happily signed autographs and took pictures. Sasha filmed everything, impressed and daunted at the same time. It was surreal seeing stuff like this up close. The girls were screaming and crying and calling at them from all sides.

"I love you Dean!"

"Roman can we get a picture?"

"Seth!"

"How are you doing, ladies?" Joe said cheerily to a group of fans, who got a little bit louder as they greeted back.

A young girl looked about to pass out. "Oh my gosh, it's really you."

"Hey, sweetheart," Joe smiled.

"Can I have your autograph?" she stuttered, pushing a rolled-up eight-by-ten Roman Reigns poster and a pen at him. "Of course," he replied, taking the items from her. "And what's your name sweetheart?"

The girl's face lit up. "Brittany."

"Brittany, that's a pretty name," the Samoan remarked, beginning to write. He finished up and handed it back to her. "Here you go, honey."

As Sasha kept her eye on the boys, she was a little startled when three teenage girls wearing Shield t-shirts bumped into her. "Hi Sasha!" They grinned at her.

She stopped short, surprised that they knew her name. "Hello ladies," she smiled back. "How are you? Have you been here all morning?"

The girls nodded enthusiastically. "We love the Shield so much," the girl wearing glasses said. "We skipped school so we could come see them. We don't know when we'll get the chance to see them again so we had to."

"I understand," she smiled. She wasn't their mother. It was not her place to start chiding them and lecturing them. But she sure as hell knew she would have a lot to say if this was T.K.

"So you're Roman's girlfriend," the girl with braces asked her. "We're so jealous. Isn't he pretty?"

"Yes, he's very pretty," Sasha couldn't help but giggle along with the girls. Pretty was quite the understatement when describing her man.

"You're hot too, Sasha," the third girl gushed, "I love your figure. We look at your pictures online and we're always like, damn, that butt though." The girls giggled then stopped, embarrassed. "Sorry."

Sasha laughed. "It's fine. Thank you for the compliment. It's taken a lot of squats to make it look like that, believe me."

"Could we get a picture with you?" the girl with braces asked her hesitantly, holding her cell phone out to Sasha. Really? They wanted a picture with _her_? Wow. "Of course." She obliged them, then thanked them and went off on her way. She now had a taste of how the boys felt when fans came up to them, and it was kind of nice. She told Joe about it on the way to the next interview, and the Samoan laughed, reminding her that his fans were indeed nice and not as crazy as Ambrose's.

* * *

It had to be one of the most magnificent hotel suites she'd ever been in. The décor was dark in a sexy and romantic way. The carpet was plush and fluffy and Sasha enjoyed threading her bare toes through it as she walked around. A bowl of chocolate-covered strawberries sat on the smooth mahogany surface of the table below the flat-screen TV, along with a bottle of champagne and two glass flutes. A beautiful view of the Vegas night skyline sprawled through the glass balcony doors, which closed off a large, round hot tub outside. Sasha planned on making use of that tub tonight. The most interesting feature of the room, however, had to be the round mirror attached to the ceiling directly above the bed. Oh yeah. Their anniversary night was looking very eventful indeed.

Trinity hung out with Sasha, getting ready in the suite for the launch party that the WWE Superstars were to attend. The Diva had taken one look at the room and said, "Ooh, girl, you gon' get it tonight." When Sasha emerged from the bathroom in her outfit, Trinity's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "Holy shit! Sasha! Turn around."

From the front, it looked like any other long-sleeved, tight red dress, but when Sasha turned to the side, it was a whole different story. The dress was open at the back and it slanted all the way down to her right thigh, the garment only held together by crisscrossed strings knotted at the hem. Her heels made her shorter legs look longer. The mother of two tugged down the dress. "Is it too much?" she nervously asked Trinity.

"Not for me," replied Trinity, "You look fantastic! I've never seen you in anything this risqué. I cannot wait to see Joe's face; he's gonna have a heart attack!"

Like she was one to talk. With the tight, strapless blue dress she wore, there was no way she wasn't getting the D from Jonny tonight. This was Vegas, it was her birthday-slash-anniversary week, and Sasha wanted to look sexy for her man. She was slimmer, and she felt more youthful every day and she decided it wouldn't hurt to flaunt it a little. She wished Pam was here but the fitness instructor was now too pregnant to do much else, let alone party.

After checking their hair and makeup, Sasha and Trinity emerged from the suite to join Nattie and Ariane outside. When Sasha came closer, their eyes went wide. "Damn, Sash! You tryna get Joe killed or somethin'?" Ariane exclaimed, while Nattie gaped at the dress in amazement.

Sasha merely winked, flipping her curled hair back. "Shall we?"

Their partners were waiting in the lobby, and all the men's eyes widened when they spotted the ladies. "Jaws off the floor, boys," Nattie laughed, linking her arms between T.J.'s and Josh's. "Let's go hit the slot machines!"

Sasha noticed Joe's expression as she approached him, looking gorgeous in a blazer and black V-neck t-shirt combination, and she couldn't fight the blush that crept up her face at his intense stare. "Hi."

Joe scanned her from head to toe. "I've never seen this dress before," he stated.

"It's new. Do you like it?"

There was a frown on his face as he inspected her. "It's really revealing. Are you wearing any underwear?" he asked.

"That ain't what I asked you, homie," she retorted. "Do you like my dress or not?"

Holding his gaze evenly, she awaited his answer. Joe flexed his jaw, working to ease down his rising temper. "It's the sexiest dress I've ever seen," he admitted. "I just wish the rest of the world wouldn't have to see it too. All them dudes droolin' over you? I know that's exactly what's gonna happen."

The scowl remained on his face, and Sasha sighed and wrapped an arm around his waist. They hadn't gone anywhere yet and he was already jealous. "Relax. I dressed up for _you_. Anyone who wants to look can look, but they ain't touching. Alright?"

His softening features told her she had placated him, but only just. "Fine. You just remember who you're here with, and we'll be alright," he said.

"How could I forget?" Sasha grinned and kissed her possessive boyfriend on the cheek, and then whispered seductively in his ear, "By the way…I only got a stick-on bra on," she said, smirking at the way his eyes widened.

The group took in the sights of the famous Las Vegas Strip and came to a stop at The Bellagio Casino and Hotel. No gaming system was left untouched; craps, roulette, blackjack and the slot machines. A lot of money was lost, with Colby hit the hardest while Sasha struck lucky with five hundred dollars' worth of casino chips. The night ended with the launch party taking place on the rooftop of their hotel. Sasha sat on a recliner with Trinity, saying hello to a few of the wrestlers that passed by. She noticed how Danielle kept out of her way and thought the woman was smarter than she looked. Some floozy was attached to Randy Orton's hip, and the mother of two was glad to see his attention finally diverted from her for good. Sucking on a lollipop handed out by the party hosts, she watched Joe and Claudio talking with some scantily-clad girls, and the green-eyed monster roared possessively within her as the girls got a little too cozy.

"I still can't believe Andrea showed up at y'alls place," Trinity was saying, "That bitch got some nerve. I'm just glad you didn't believe a word that came out of her mouth. She's a pathological liar."

Sasha gave no reply. She didn't want to talk about that woman. Not tonight, not ever.

"She mind-fucked him for years. Thought she could get away with it. If he hadn't believed her bullshit and taken her back, none of that shit would have happened. With the baby and all that. That was the one thing she was truthful about." Trinity glanced over at Joe, her demeanor motherly as always. Sasha was glad that he had such good friends.

"It's been a while now," Trinity said, her voice soft but still audible over the loud music. "His baby would've been three, maybe four, by now. After everything went down, when she left…it broke him. He descended into a dark place at the time." The younger woman paused, her eyes glazing over with emotion before recollecting herself. "I really hope he fully recovers from what she did. Then again how many people do recover from a betrayal like that, ya know? This is probably the closest he's ever come to healing." She looked at Sasha with a small smile. "Ever since he got with you, things have been on the up."

Sasha smiled back, knowing it was the Diva's little way of thanking her. Looking in Joe's direction, her smile regressed to an irritated frown. Did they have to be so close to him? She could smell their desperation from where she sat. And to think Joe was worrying about other men ogling her. How was she supposed to feel when women blatantly pawed him?

Trinity followed her gaze and rolled her eyes. "Pay them no mind, babe. You're the one he's gonna be with tonight."

Good point. Glancing back his way, her heart skipped a beat when their eyes met, and she remembered the lollipop she'd been sucking on absently. Feeling mischievous, her actions transitioned to a much less innocent affair, swirling her tongue over the round, red candy before putting it in her mouth. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she held Joe's gaze, sucking slowly, provocatively, reminding him of what was in store for him tonight.

Joe couldn't take his eyes off her. He shifted in his seat, his breathing a little heavier as he imagined that sexy mouth of hers on him. His pants suddenly felt tighter. Fucking hell.

"You alright, man?" Claudio cut into his near-erotic thoughts, startling Joe. He cleared his throat and waved Claudio away before casting another glance at Sasha. She wasn't looking his way anymore, but the sly smile on her face remained. Tease.

As the night progressed, more people joined in the party. Sasha got up to give herself some space. She hadn't gone far when she felt a familiar pair of hands take her hips from behind.

"Wanna get out of here?" she heard Joe's deep voice in her ear, and tremors in her heart nearly went into overdrive.

"Won't it look suspicious if we both disappear?" she asked.

"Maybe, but who gives a shit?"

Laughing, she took his hand. "Let's go."

The moment she got inside their room, she kicked off her heels, tossing them in a corner somewhere. She opened up her suitcase and rummaged through it. "I got something for you, baby," she said, withdrawing a wrapped gift and handing it to him. "Happy anniversary."

Staring at the small box curiously, he unwrapped it, and Sasha watched his face light up. Inside the box was a black leather strap Fossil wristwatch with a round black face. It was big and looked badass, just the way he liked his watches. On the back was an inscription;

_Leati – My love is yours until the end of time – Sasha_

Well damn. He looked up at his beautiful girlfriend and smiled brightly. "I love it. Thank you, baby girl." He leaned over and kissed her softly, then pulled her close, sticking his fingers through the crisscrosses of her dress. "What a dress," he murmured, gazing hungrily at her. "Can I take it off?"

Grinning, she turned around for him. "Yes you can. Wanna go in the hot tub?"

"Sure." He carefully undid the knot at the bottom of the dress and unraveled the garment, his breath catching as he drank in her nude frame. "Fuck, you're beautiful."

"So are you, big boy," she smiled. "I need the bathroom. I'll meet you in the tub?"

Joe agreed and stepped out into the foyer, walking towards the hot tub and pressing the button for the jets. He stripped completely naked and lowered himself into the churning water. Once seated, he exhaled hard, leaning back and closing his eyes. At the sound of loud splashing a few minutes later, he opened them again in time to see Sasha descend into the tub holding the bowl of chocolate-covered strawberries, her hair piled high on top of her head. "What the hell'd you put a bikini on for? I wanted you naked too," he protested.

Sasha shrugged, blushing. "I thought it was sexy," she defended, biting her lip as she waded towards him. She held up a strawberry. "Want one?" She took a slow, sensuous bite before feeding the rest of it to him. She took another piece of fruit and repeated the action, and neither took their eyes off the other as they savored the dessert. Without a word, Joe closed in, taking Sasha's lips for himself. The chocolate and fruit complemented her taste perfectly. The gentle touch of mouths was followed by longer kisses, each one less chaste than the last. Blindly putting the fruit away, Joe drew Sasha to him, his hands gripping her ass while hers moved over his stomach, stroking the callous, hard surface.

"I've never been a big fan of my abs," he explained between kisses. "I guess I'm not destined for a Colby Lopez-type six-pack."

"You don't need 'em. I like your abs just the way they are," she replied. She'd noticed he'd become self-conscious about his abdominal area since his surgery. She didn't understand why, but she had no problem showing him she liked him exactly how he was. She broke their kiss to admire him. "You are so sexy, babe."

"Thanks for the ego boost, _nani_." Joe kissed her chin. "I kinda wish I did a little more to make tonight more special, since this is our first anniversary."

She gaped at him like he'd grown a second head. "Are you kidding me? Baby, this is more than enough. You're working. I'm surprised you even had time to set this up." She pecked his lips. "Besides, there's the second anniversary to look forward to, right?"

"Yes there is. I can't believe it's been a year already. It's gone by so fast. Every day I wonder how I existed without you in my life." He looked into her eyes. "You've changed me for the better in so many ways, baby girl. You're my heart, my soul and I need you. I can't live without you."

"And you won't have to, 'cause I'm not going anywhere," she whispered, her arms winding around his neck as her forehead rested against his own. "I'm so in love with you. I love how good you are to me, to my kids. I'm so happy I met you and took this crazy chance to be with you, and now, I don't want to live without you either."

Her gaze was intense, sincere and full of love. Overcome, he kissed her with a hunger he had never felt before. Sasha's sigh of pleasure morphed into a moan as he began to mold her breasts, his lips making their way down her neck. She felt his hand snake behind her, fumbling with her bikini top until it came loose, and she watched the flimsy garment float away before he brought her attention back to him with another kiss. She gasped as he lifted her higher, tearing away her bikini bottom while flicking his tongue against her right nipple, then sucking it between his lips. He paid the same attention to the left nipple, and feeling his dick stir and harden against her, she moaned softly. She was wet, and it wasn't just because of the warm water. Their mouths met again and their embrace became more passionate. Sasha leaned into him, loving the feel of his hard muscles pressed against her body.

"It's our anniversary, baby. What do you want right now?" Joe asked, squeezing her bare backside.

Sasha dragged her palms down his broad, taut back, gliding over his wet skin. "I wanna make you feel good, Daddy," she whispered, giving him a sly wink when his eyes brightened at the nickname. "Take a seat on the tub for me."

He'd gladly stand on his head if she kept calling him Daddy. He lifted himself out of the tub and sat on the edge. Sasha remained kneeling in the water, at eye level with his impressive, very hard dick.

"You gonna suck Daddy like you did that lollipop?" Joe asked, his grey irises dark as he tangled his fingers in her hair.

She smiled, "Better than that." She wrapped her hand around his length, moving it up and down and looking up at him. Seeing the pleasure on his beautiful face empowered her. She leaned in to lick around the rim of his head, then put him in her mouth, her head gradually bobbing up and down as she worked him.

"Yeah. Suck my dick, _nani_," he rasped, clutching her hair a little tighter. He'd gotten good head in the past before but none compared to how Sasha gave it to him. She always seemed to know how he liked it, and whenever he guided her, she went along without any complaints or fussing like other women did. She was a goddess with a perfect mouth, doing things to him that made him see stars. He forced himself to hold on, wanting to savor her lips on him for a little longer.

Sasha watched Joe watch her, smiling triumphantly when he gasped and his head rolled back as she increased her suctions. The hard smoothness of him pleased her, the desperate moan he gave when she took him deep thrilled her, and the curses that flew out of his mouth when she raked her fingernails across his testicles made her smile. She continued the torment, reveling in making her man crazy. Sometimes it was difficult for couples to maintain the excitement in their sex life. But when you had a partner that looked like Joe, had his sexual appetite and wasn't home often, it was imperative to pull out as many stops as possible. Sasha took that little lesson to heart and tried to apply it as often as she could.

"That's enough," Joe said when he couldn't take anymore, pulling her off him roughly. Sasha started to smile until she saw the look on his face – pure lust glittering in his beautiful grey eyes, his upper lip curled in a dangerous sneer, looking very much like the juggernaut that destroyed opponents in the ring. That look always had her screaming his name and that of several deities and speaking in tongues, and she hoped tonight would be no different.

"Hold on to me," he told her. He wrapped one arm around her body and hoisted himself to his feet. They kissed furiously heading back inside the suite, and together they fell onto the middle of the soft expanse of the bed. Still kissing him, Sasha fluidly rolled them over so she was on top. "I noticed all those girls at the party, wanting you, begging for your attention," she whispered. "I don't blame them. You're a living, breathing, walking sex machine. They can look all they want, but they ain't never touchin' you." She tugged his succulent lower lip with her teeth, and the moan she received from him was great feedback. "You're mine. Do I make myself clear?"

Her domineering tone was so sexy. He was shocked he didn't come right there underneath her. "Crystal," he agreed, putting his hands on her waist. "Turn around and lay on top of me, sweetheart. I want you to look in the mirror as I make love to you."

Sasha bit her lip apprehensively. "This is new."

"I know, baby, but I want you to trust me. Do you trust me, Sash?"

Her eyes grew soft at the question. "Of course."

"Good. I'll make it worth your while. Come here."

He lay on his back, then guided Sasha on top of his body with her back against his chest. Once settled, he began to massage her breasts, meeting her gaze in the mirrored ceiling and watching her eyes glaze over instantly at his touch. Keeping eye contact with her, he let his right hand trace the soft curves of her body, slowly making its way down between her legs. She loved his hands, so big and gentle to the touch. He rubbed the outer lips of her vagina, teasing her a little and smiling when she sighed and widened her legs to give him better access. Then, he separated her pussy lips, slowly rubbing his fingers along her clitoris before dipping them inside her. Sasha gasped and squirmed against him. "Oh, Daddy…"

"Look at that, _nani_. Watch my fingers go in and out of your pussy." When she did so, and then moaned in response, Joe smiled, his long fingers still exploring her. "You like that, baby? Are you turned on watching Daddy play with his pussy?"

"Uh-huh," Sasha breathed, whimpering as she slowly began rolling her pelvis against his hand. Joe groaned softly, feeling her inner muscles clench his fingers, her essence start to seep between the long digits. "Seems like you're ready for me," he remarked. "You want Daddy's dick inside you, baby girl?"

"Yes," she panted, letting out a long moan when his fingers delved deeper, but managed to maintain eye contact through the mirror.

"Yes what?"

"Yes, Daddy. Please."

Another groan slipped from his mouth as he gripped his turgid length, guiding it slowly inside her. He lifted his hips, once, twice, establishing a steady rhythm, reveling in her husky groans. "Look at us, baby. Look how fuckin' good we look together," he muttered in her ear, directing her gaze back to the mirror above them. "I love being inside you, baby girl. Two babies and your pussy's still nice and tight," he whispered adoringly. Everything about this woman drove him absolutely insane. He couldn't get enough, didn't want to get enough. He wrapped a gentle hand around her neck and kissed her passionately while grinding upwards into her, sliding in and out of her in slow, deep strokes. "I love the way your pussy squeezes my dick. You make me wanna come so hard inside you."

She absolutely idolized his voice, deep and silky and more than capable of making her come all on its own. A few minutes passed with him thrusting inside her before she decided to take the reins. Pushing away from him, she leaned forwards on the balls of her feet. Bracing her hands on his knees, she began riding him, pumping up and down on his hard length. Behind her she heard his approving groan, felt his large hands close over her hips.

"Fuck yeah, pop that ass for Daddy. I love watching that big booty bounce on my dick." He grabbed handfuls of her ass and squeezed, and Sasha moaned and moved faster on top of him, gasping for breath as she felt him in the pit of her belly. Joe let her have her way with him, allowed his body to take what she was dishing out, to get lost in the feel of her moist heat and her round, bounteous backside slapping against his pelvis as she rode him.

"Lean back and look up in the mirror," he instructed. "Watch yourself fuck me."

She did as he asked, planting her arms behind her, angling her body so that he could watch too. As she resumed her rhythm she looked up, and a fresh wave of heat soared through her instantly. She'd never seen herself have sex before. Watching herself make love to him had to be the hottest thing she'd done to date and that was saying something, because in the year they'd been together Joe had taken her to erogenous heights that she never dreamed of. His hands moved up and down the curves of her body, his palms warm against her dark skin. Whatever water that had clung to their skin from the hot tub had long been dried off by their heat of their bodies. Spreading her legs wider, she grinded her hips slowly, letting Joe feel her slick flesh gliding over his. His shout echoed around the suite, and she loved the reaction she was getting from him. "You like that, Daddy?" she asked him, "Does my pussy feel good?"

"It feels great, baby girl. You look fuckin' amazing in the mirror," he panted, keeping a possessive grip on her rotating hips. "Grain on that wood, baby. Grind that pussy on my cock," he growled. When she took him deep inside her and then deliberately clenched her inner muscles, he groaned and squeezed her hips. "Aww, Sash! Fuck!"

Sasha was in full control now, rocking her hips harder. The feeling of him moving inside her was making her brain fuzzy. She cut her gaze back to their reflection. His gorgeous face showed his pleasure, his eyes glazed, alternating between panting and licking his lips. She groaned satisfactorily as he pressed her breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers. Wanting to look right into his eyes as he came, she changed positions so that she was facing him. Joe drew in a sharp breath as he watched his dick disappear back inside her. Sasha leaned down to press her body against his own, feeling his arms instantly circle her waist, and wrapping her arms around his head, she began to ride him once more.

"Watch my ass in the mirror Daddy," she breathed in his ear, "Watch me pound the shit outta your big dick."

The sight of her ample backside bouncing and rolling, her lips brushing his scruffy beard while she fucked him, was near orgasmic. He could feel his dick buried in her depths, her pussy gripping every inch of him, her hot heavy breathing on his neck, causing pleasure to course through his veins like an addictive drug. He fought against the overwhelming need to come, but it was near impossible as she continued to ride and grind him relentlessly, her body writhing like a snake as she kept him pinned underneath her. Thrusting upwards, he pulled her hips down, spreading her ass cheeks apart so he could piston deeper inside her wetness. Her face was buried in his shoulder, her moans vibrating against his skin, her walls damn near decapitating him as he fucked her desperately. It was a valiant effort to hold on, but when she started licking his neck, he lost it. He simply couldn't; the pleasure was too much.

"_Fuck!_" He barely pulled out of her in time, and he roared in triumph as his orgasm ripped through his body, shattering like shards of glass inside him. He pumped his dick rabidly and unloaded thick milky spurts all over her backside. Still on top of him, Sasha purred at the feel of his warm release trickling down the curves of her ass cheeks, and she rubbed her ass against his length in encouragement, coaxing out every last drop of his seed. Joe felt light-headed, from his toes up his spine and inside his brain, every part of him shaking and sweaty and utterly spent. "Shit, _nani_," he groaned, barely aware of her soft lips still on his neck, caressing his skin in their post-coital embrace. "Have I told you how much I love you?"

"A few times," she chuckled, brushing his sweat-dampened hair out of his eyes. He sighed contentedly, then peered at her. "Fuck, I'm so sorry. You haven't come yet."

"It's okay," she started to say, and gasped when his fingers suddenly entered her. It was not his style to leave a woman hanging, let alone his own. He prided himself on always being thorough. "Stay on me, baby girl. Let me take you there," he said, fingers already pumping inside her, his thumb fiddling with her clitoris. Sasha was already bucking against him, her forearms planted on each side of his head. Joe bit his lip as he watched her ride his fingers, essentially riding him once more. It almost made him hard...again.

He pinched her clit hard, one more time, and Sasha groaned loudly, crying out his name as she shattered around his fingers. An eternity seemed to pass before her body calmed, and she collapsed on top of Joe, trying to regain her bearings. "Wow."

"Wow is right." He held her close, his fingertips lazily stroking her back. "You alright?"

"Mm-hmm." She pressed a small kiss to his lips. "It's been an amazing week, baby, and I have you to thank for it."

Joe smiled softly and stroked her hair. "There's a lot I have to thank you for, _nani_. I love you. You're the best thing that's happened to me in a very long time."

She brushed her thumb across his cheek as tears sprang to her eyes. "Oh, Joe," she murmured happily, sealing his lips in yet another kiss, grateful to have this sweet, sexy, amazing man in her life. She truly hoped it could always be this good between them.

* * *

_**I have a catchphrase of my own now. "Sap City, bitch." 'Cause this chapter was all about the sap. And smut, lol.**_

_**I uploaded Sasha in her controversial anniversary dress to the story album (on my profile page). It's much hotter than the way I described it. Check it out. ;) Did Joe have a good reason to oppose the dress? Or nah?**_

_**Kindly let me know if you liked this chapter. :D**_


	52. Chapter 52

_**I post this update with nothing but happiness flowing through me right now. Not only has yours truly officially bagged her LL.M (thank God for that, this means I've completed all formal education as far as I'm concerned. Screw all that PhD talk, lol), but Into the Deep End has made it past ONE THOUSAND reviews! I literally cannot believe it and I cannot begin to thank you all enough for showing so much support with your fantastic reviews. Even better, a reviewer actually compared my smut scenes to those of CFierce116! Like eeeeep! That is a huge compliment! I usually don't do this because I prefer to be impartial/neutral on this site, but guys if you're looking for first class Roman stories/smut, hit up CFierce116 or benova13's pages, they are awesome. They're part of a select group of fabulous writers in a period where (in my humble opinion) there doesn't seem to be that many great writers or fanfics anymore. Plus every story seems to be slash now and no offense, but (for the readers who PM'd me with requests and anyone else who might also ask) I don't read or write slash. At all. Never will. Sorry.**_

_**Anywho, big, big, big thank you to**__ Tammy, Siren's Call To The Dead, LetItReign, ChelleLew, Alisi824, Chermayne, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, corbettluv, LuxuriaVanitas, PassionWriter101, DeeMarie426, Shield316, Bharm, CFierce116, justkimmy, nikki1335, benova13, mitchy21, Alexis Black-Reigns, Olivia Reigns, princessreigns, KailahBoo11, ItReignsJustice-619, Guest, squawswarpath __**and**__ vegas angel baby __**for the last set of reviews. If Jasha's sexiness is givin' y'all a collective heart attack, I'm afraid to say (or maybe not) that the best is yet to come, including a chapter I've been waiting to unleash on y'all for MONTHS ;) So keep your eyes open, your cigarettes, water bottles etc. at the ready, lol.**_

_**Enjoy 52! Sorry I took so long to update.**_

* * *

"Dude, are you even listening to me?"

Jon Good's gruff voice yanked Joe back to reality, interrupting a very pleasant memory involving strawberries, melted chocolate, Sasha's ass and his tongue, his thoughts vivid enough to tune out both the car stereo and his friend. Raising his head off of the window of the passenger's side of the car, he directed his glare towards the driver's seat. "You still yammerin' about the Monster Truck thing Renee took you to?" he said.

"I'm not yammering, have some respect," said Jon.

"Yes you are. And no, I'm not listening to you," Joe answered bluntly, resting his head back against the window.

"You ain't the only one, Uce. We stopped paying attention to him a long time ago," Jonny Fatu piped up from behind Joe's seat, eyes on his phone, cramped up in the back seat with his twin Josh and Colby, both of whom nodded their agreement with the statement. It was a long drive to the next town, and the last thing they needed to hear for the entire trip was Ambrose talking about shit they'd already heard a hundred times before.

Jon scoffed. "Please. You just mad I'm distracting you from your sexting session with Trin, you and your shitty-ass multitasking skills. You tellin' me you can't listen to me and phone-fuck her at the same time? And didn't you already physically fuck her last night? I swear everyone on our entire floor could hear you two." That was very possible. Jonny and Trinity were notorious for being a little loud in bed no matter where they went.

"Don't hate that I treat my girl right on the regular, Ambrose," Jonny countered. Joe rolled his eyes, sensing the pissing contest about to commence.

"And what makes you think I'm not doing the same with Renee? Because the entire state don't hear us when we go at it?" said Jon. "I just don't fuck and tell. But I'm definitely treating my girl right."

"Can you fuckers not start? Y'all are making me miss Gigi more," Josh whined, referring to his fiancée back at home with his baby son.

"At least y'all got someone," Colby muttered under his breath as he glared out of the window, crossing his arms dejectedly.

"Now here's a guy who's definitely doing the business with _his_ lady," Jon grinned, reaching over to pat Joe on the head. The bigger man instantly swatted his hand away like a pesky fly, causing the rest of them to laugh. "Dude, watch the fuckin' road," he grumbled at Jon.

"He's right though, Uce. We hear the stories. Your dumb ass is making the rest of us look like chumps," Jonny complained. "Trin told me about the suite you booked in Vegas for your anniversary. She was all up in my ear the next few days asking when I was gonna get us a room like that."

Joe smiled dreamily at the thought of his girlfriend and the incredible night – and morning – they shared. "I'm just doing my thing, man," he said with a shrug. "Maybe y'all need to step up your game." Speaking of his girl, she hadn't called him in a while. He hoped everything was okay at the hospital.

"Alright, alright guys," Josh jumped in before his brother or Ambrose could protest. "I think we can all agree that we're all treating our ladies right and no one's doing better than the other," he said, quietly noticing Colby's sulky features and realizing how insensitive they were being. "Is that alright? Is that okay? Can we move on to something else now?"

Chuckling, Joe's gaze settled on his phone as it beeped with a text message. Sasha. Finally. There was a photo attached to the message.

_Say hello to my niece, Imani Winter Melody Greene._ _6lbs 5oz. New mama's doing great. So happy rn *heart eyes* X_

A huge smile spread across his face at the photo of a sleeping newborn infant, wrapped up in a pink blanket. "Hey guys, Pam had a girl," he announced, "Sash sent a picture."

"Can I see?" Colby took the phone from Joe. "Aw man, she's beautiful. Tell Sash to say congrats to the new Mommy and Daddy for us."

"Sure thing." He immediately texted Sasha back, relaying the boys' message to Pam and Elgin before letting her know he missed her. Subconsciously his gaze returned to the picture of the new baby, smiling softly at her tiny, smooth face, and a familiar longing resurfaced and settled in the pit of his belly.

Daddy. He really liked the sound of that, and not just in the sexual way, like back in Vegas when Sasha first addressed him by the kinky nickname. It was hot, for sure, and it catered very well to his dominant tastes. But he was starting to think about it in the literal sense of the word. Being a daddy. Being someone's father.

It had been quite some time since he used protection with Sasha. He did try to be careful, but more often times that not things always got a little heated, especially when he returned home after being gone for so long. Evidently her birth control was working fine, otherwise with the way they'd been going at it she would definitely be knocked up by now. Was it selfish of him to want her to get pregnant? Sure, his nieces and nephews were awesome, he now had another kid to dote on in Imani and he already treated Mia like his own daughter. But he wanted his own; children he could call his very own. And with all honesty, if he were to have them, he wanted Sasha to be the mother and no one else. She'd already shown with T.K. and Mia how excellent of a mother she was. He imagined having a son, with his grey eyes and Sasha's electric smile, and dreamed about teaching him to play football or the basics of wrestling. He envisioned a little girl as beautiful as her mom – if that was the case, he'd have to consider purchasing a shotgun to keep the lecherous boys at bay. He didn't get why he craved it so much, fatherhood. It wasn't like he was going to be a regular dad. He would be gone three hundred days in a year, maybe longer as his star rose higher. He knew how tough it was for Josh every time he had to leave Gianna and Brandon behind. Of course, the potential problems that Sasha's body would go through during pregnancy was not far from his mind. But it didn't stop Joe from wanting it, from daydreaming about it.

Would he be a good dad? Mia thought so. He would try his damnedest to be, even though he couldn't be around as much as he should. That was one of the many lessons he learned from his father. Sika got to know his first three children very late in life. He had been away from Alma, Matt and Cassie for most of their lives, and Joe had been the only one to truly enjoy his father's presence at home as his legendary career only started to wind down after Joe was born. He had witnessed how their father's absence affected his older siblings, the casualties of following and achieving a dream, trying to make life better for the children he barely knew. It was a daunting thought to Joe, knowing that not being there enough could easily jeopardize his relationship with his child. But it was a thought he knew he had to contemplate and pore over and over as his and Sasha's relationship continued to progress.

Exhaling heavily, the Samoan stared back out the window, watching the scenery go by. He found himself feeling jealous of Pam and Elgin. They probably didn't realize how lucky they were, how good they had it in the normality of their lives. As their friend, he could only hope that they did, and that they would take none of it for granted.

* * *

A month after Imani was born, Pam and Elgin were married in Miami. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful ceremony at the beach, and standing by in her peach-colored Maid of Honor dress, Sasha was a blubbering mess the entire time as she watched her best friend exchange rings and vows with the love of her life. She wished Joe could have made it to the wedding, but it was impossible because he was away touring Europe. She sent him photos and videos from the day, a giddy smile on her face when he'd complimented her dress. Sasha tried to catch WWE programming more often, pleasantly surprised to see the Shield had finally made their face turn – another wrestling terminology provided to her by T.K. – and were more popular than ever. They were even granting wishes to Make-A-Wish kids now, breaking the Cena monopoly. Sasha knew Joe enjoyed that part of his job a lot, giving back, spending time with the sick children and putting happy smiles on their faces. At least he was keeping busy, and that was a good thing.

Currently, she was halfway through her morning shift at the Grill, her mind flitting to the job she'd applied for a week ago; as a photographer for a popular local magazine. Sasha had managed to create a decent portfolio over the months; from the snapshots from Reggie's last birthday and Pam's picturesque wedding to an action shot of Mia dancing. An old photo of T.K. sailing through the air, about to hit a slam dunk. The Grill on a busy night. The amazing lake view from the bedroom balcony at home. Joe's whipped hair. Trinity's silhouette. Ambrose working out. Though she kept all three wrestlers' faces obscured in the shots to keep the WWE off her back. Various types of photographs to showcase her versatility, and though she was probably not as experienced as other potential applicants, she hoped the magazine would be impressed enough to consider hiring her. She loved working at the Grill; it had taught her so many skills and she could never repay Reggie enough for taking her in and showing her the ropes, but photography was her ultimate passion. She hoped to turn it into a career, and this was the first step. Reggie had given his blessing, as did Joe and the kids, and it was all she ever asked for, the support of friends and family.

There was a lot of other things Sasha was doing with herself these days, from starting GED classes, helping Mia rehearse for a huge audition coming up, to preparing for the trip to San Francisco with the kids for WrestleMania, as well as helping Pam out with baby Imani. Her best friend, as expected, was still coming to grips with her role as a new mother. Between breastfeeding, diaper changes and waking up at all hours of the night, Pam was struggling a little. Her weight was another point of concern, but Sasha didn't understand why. Because she had kept working out through most of her pregnancy, Pam didn't gain that much weight. Sasha thought her body looked more beautiful. Her hips were a little broader, her breasts fuller, making her look shapelier and more womanly. It was normal that she filled out after giving birth, and it had taken Sasha as well as Elgin a while to convince Pam of this, more so when she was trying on wedding dresses. Sasha always made sure to stop by the Greenes' after or before work, even if it was only for half an hour, to allay the loneliness the new mother was surely feeling from being cooped up at home with the baby while Elgin was away at work. She didn't mind going out of her way at all. The fitness instructor was her rock and support for years, it was high time Sasha started to repay her in one form or the other. Besides, she didn't mind spending time with Imani…Her niece was simply the sweetest little baby.

Because she'd become so involved with taking care of the infant, Sasha admittedly had begun to feel a little broody, and was starting to seriously consider the option of a third child. Joe would be very happy to hear that. Her sweet, caring boyfriend deserved to have everything he wanted in life, and being a father was one of those wants. There was no better way to show her love for him than having his baby. So she made up her mind, that whenever Joe was ready, they could start trying, and if it happened she would do everything in her power to ensure the pregnancy went as smoothly as possible, and she would give life to that baby, even if it meant potentially risking her own. She tried not to be too negative though. Maybe her experience with Mia was a one-off. Maybe things had changed with her body. She was in better physical shape now; she was working out more, eating healthier, all largely influenced by Joe's lifestyle…It was possible that those complications wouldn't be there anymore, but that was her being hopeful. She made a note to herself to get checked out by a Doctor whenever she had the time, to get answers to all the questions swirling around in her head.

Sasha returned from the back room, stopping in her tracks when she saw T.K. walking through the front door. Good. Perhaps she could convince him to come out with her and Mia after work. She was meant to pick up Mia from dance class so they could go shopping for tinted lip balm at the mall. Apparently Regina had started using some and Mia wanted her own. Sasha wasn't sure if an eight-year-old girl should be wearing anything resembling lipstick. Pam and Cheryl were all for it, and when Sasha told Joe about it he only laughed, saying he wasn't even going to touch that subject, that the decision was completely up to her. She eventually caved in, deciding to allow it and hoping she wouldn't end up regretting her decision.

"Hey honey," she greeted T.K., her words trailing away when she caught sight of his pale features. "What's wrong?"

He made a beeline for her, and as he got closer, Sasha gasped in shock at his red eyes and tear-streaked face. He grabbed onto one of the barstools, shaking from head to toe. Her concern quickly morphed into alarm. "Tyson, what's wrong? What's the matter?" she demanded. Did something happen? To Mia? Oh dear God, she prayed not. "Ty, talk to me. Please."

His bottom lip trembled. "They f-found him, Ma," he stuttered, drawing in a breath that sounded like a sob. "They've found L-L-Lamar…"

Unable to get the rest of the words out, T.K. broke down in more tears, covering his face with his hands. Without hesitation Sasha reached for him, pulling him into a hug and whispering soothing words in his ear. He collapsed in her embrace, burying his face in the crook of her neck as he wept bitterly.

* * *

There weren't many funerals Sasha had been to, but not a single one of them felt pleasant to be at, at all. Especially not that of a teenager who should have had his whole life ahead of him, but had lost that life the moment he wandered into the path he eventually took. Lamar's body was found by the police about a mile from where T.K. had been shot, the last place anyone had seen the young drug dealer. He was in the trunk of his beloved white Mercedes which had been parked in an abandoned garage, a bullet lodged in his decaying forehead. Finding the perpetrators became increasingly difficult due to the lack of forensic evidence and the time that had elapsed. Suspects were brought in nearly every day and even with T.K.'s help in identifying them, the Police came up with nothing. It was as though the men had disappeared off the face of the earth, the only evidence of their existence the dead body they'd left behind.

Lamar's funeral was held a week after he had been found, and Sasha opted to go with T.K. for moral support. She knew Lamar's aunt as well, so it made sense to go if only to simply offer her condolences. T.K., Steve and the other members of the Mason Hill basketball team wore their jerseys in Lamar's honor. He was once a part of the team, from middle school all through to sophomore year of high school before he dropped out and set off on his own. He never got to see one of his dreams come true, seeing his alma mater win the State Championships for the first time in their history. Sadly, he would never get to dream again.

Standing at a distance from where her son stood with his team mates, Sasha watched her son carefully. In his clutches were a Mason Hill jersey and an Austin 3:16 shirt, as Stone Cold Steve Austin was Lamar's all-time favorite wrestler. As he draped both shirts over the coffin, she noticed the broken expression on his face. He could very well have been one of the very last people to see him alive and she knew it was eating at him. No one should ever have to go through this, especially not a teenager. How he was keeping it together was beyond her. Everyone else around him was in tears. Lamar's aunt was inconsolable, as was Chanel. It was obvious that for all his shortcomings, Lamar was loved, had friends who cared for him. Perhaps if Sasha hadn't distanced herself from him, if she had perhaps made an attempt to help him, to steer him away from the path he was going down, then maybe things may have been different. In this neighborhood, this could have been anybody's child being lowered into the dirt. Hell, it could have been her own child lying inside that coffin. There was a scar in his lower back to prove that point. He had been so, so close to being ripped away from her, and the bone-chilling thought was enough to bring a few tears to her eyes. She'd always realized the importance of not taking her life and those of her loved ones for granted, and that lesson was never more important as it was today.

It was a somber mood the next couple of days. It was the weekend, so T.K. was home. He was in his room most of the time, watching old wrestling videos, and when he wasn't he was toiling away in the in-house gym or swimming in the pool. Sasha tried to give him some space. She didn't like watching from afar as she wanted to be there for him, but she knew it was important to let him deal with his grief on his own. Mia, her ever alert little girl, had no such inhibitions, getting close to her big brother and doing her best to cheer him up and make him feel better, just like she did when he was recovering from his gunshot wound. Sasha was so grateful for the bond that had developed between her two children. Some kids were already at each other's throats from an early age and squabbled until the day they died and even beyond. Sasha could only hope the love between them remained strong because in the end, all they had was each other.

She had finished making lunch when T.K. sauntered into the kitchen. "Hey, sweetie," she smiled at him.

"Hi Ma." He returned her smile, sitting at the kitchen counter.

"Hungry?"

"Naw, I'm good."

"You sure? I made your favorite."

"I'll eat when I'm hungry." Glancing at Sasha, T.K. sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm _fine_, Ma. Quit lookin' at me like I'm about to have some sort of nervous breakdown."

Smacking her lips, she didn't take her eyes off him. "I just don't want you beating yourself up about what happened, baby. None of it was your fault."

"I know."

"Look, if you wanna talk about it-"

"I'd rather not."

How many times had she heard that? Dismayed, she gave the answer she always gave. "Okay. I'll leave you alone."

T.K. grabbed a glass and poured himself some water, the sounds of the music program Mia was watching in the living room filling the silence between mother and son. "Ma, I've been thinking…" he began.

Yay, he _did_ want to talk about something! Finally! She turned back around so quickly she was dizzy for a second. "About what?" she asked, a little too eagerly.

He seemed to be gathering his thoughts, contemplating what he was going to say. Then he said, "After I graduate, I'm gonna start training to become a wrestler."

Huh? She hadn't expected that at all. "Really?"

T.K. nodded, meeting his mother's eyes. "Yeah. Colby is opening a school in Iowa soon, and I want to be one of his students."

Sasha was skeptical. Iowa? She didn't know anything about this. Was she the only one who didn't? "I take it you've talked to Joe about it already, then?" she asked, rather begrudgingly. It was becoming increasingly evident that T.K. needed her less and less…not only because he was an adult, but because he was now surrounded by men like Joe and the other guys, fellow athletes and Alpha Males who bonded with and understood her son in ways she never could. Yes, there was a hint of jealousy on her part; he no longer depended on her like he used to and as his mother, it made her feel somewhat obsolete.

T.K. shook her head at her question. "Not yet. Other than finding out about the school from Colby, I haven't really talked to anybody about it," he replied, "I wanted to come to you first, let you know about it. I've started training and working out. Wanna be prepared by the summer."

The results of his workout were more than obvious. He got bigger and more muscular every day. "Ty…are you sure this is what you want?" she asked, her voice quiet with a tinge of worry, "You've seen how long Joe's gone from home," she said, "You know what he goes through in the ring; the injuries, the aches and pains, on a constant basis. This isn't varsity basketball schedule. It could take years before you even get close to making it to the big time. And I'm not saying any of this to discourage you; I just want you to see the reality of it all, and I want you to see that and think long and hard about making this decision."

"I understand, Ma. And I'm a hundred percent sure," T.K. insisted. The tears began to materialize in his voice. "I know I should be thinking about college, but I don't know, Mama. Life is too short not to follow your dreams. Just like you're doing trying to chase your dreams to be a pro photographer. And I hope you get the job, Ma. I really do. Photography's your passion. For me it's basketball and wrestling, but I decided to choose wrestling because I want that more. Triple H of all people said I have potential, and I really want to explore that potential and prove him right. Even if I fall flat on my face in the end, at least I tried. I haven't abandoned college; I can always go back to it but for now, I really, really want to do this."

Sasha regarded him quietly, aware that his deceased friend was on his mind. It was quite clear that there would be no unchanging his mind. Nodding her head in understanding, she said to him, "Well, if that's what you want, then I'll support you all the way."

The teen sat up straighter, surprise etched on his features. He hadn't expected her to cave in so easily. "Really?"

"Of course. You're an adult now, Ty. I may give my input but in the end your decisions are yours and yours alone to make. If you wanna become a wrestler, then go for it. If you're happy, I'm happy, and that's all that matters." She kissed his cheek, pleased at the way his eyes had brightened at her words. He was smiling again, and that was what she'd hoped for. Like she said, his happiness was all that mattered.

* * *

_**Thoughts?**_

_**For interested readers, I recently completed my other Roman/OC project, the We Are series. Hopefully you'll check it out and let me know what you think. :D**_

_**It's Spring Break over here and I've been relaxing a little too much, lol. I'll do my best to put up the next update faster. :)**_


	53. Chapter 53

_**Back from Spring Break. Fun times. Miss it already.**_

_**Hugs and pecks to**__ Bharm, ChelleLew, mitchy21, Siren's Call To The Dead, LuxuriaVanitas, M.J Irving, PassionWriter101, KailahBoo11, corbettluv, Alisi824, benova13, nikki1335, LetItReign, Shield316, Chermayne, DeeMarie426, Tammy, ItReignsJustice-619, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, Olivia Reigns, vegas angel baby, Guest, CFierce116, princessreigns, IRENELOVE83, Guest __**and **__justkimmy__** for reviewing the last update!**_

_**Someone needs to peel me away from my iPad. WWE Immortals is an addictive game, lol.**_

_**Anyway…enjoy 53! I deliberately jumbled up my WrestleManias in this update so don't panic. It's fiction after all. :)**_

* * *

For all the criticism the WWE received from time to time, their impeccable level of organization was never in doubt. Not least during WrestleMania week, the most important seven days in the company's calendar year. So many things were occupying their time, there were so many Superstars' family and friends' arrivals to handle, and yet it was all handled smoothly. Like Joe for instance, who had tons of family and friends coming in from Tampa, Pensacola, and San Francisco itself. Somehow, they all made it into town at the scheduled times with every logistic sorted out.

It was the same on Thursday afternoon, when Sasha and the group from Tampa arrived. Joe had managed to get tickets for Pam, Elgin, Reggie, Cheryl and the twins Gabby and Regina, all of whom got sucked into the Mania hype the moment they stepped down from the plane. Sasha sauntered into San Francisco decked out in Joe's 49ers jersey, a dark, form-fitting pair of jeans and killer Louboutin heels, large Marc Jacobs sunglasses perched on the bridge of her nose. Pam had commented with a playful wink that she looked every inch like an athlete's wife. Sasha had winked back and laughed in response, glad that her best friend was here with her. The day before, she and Elgin had had to physically pry Imani out of Pam's hands before handing the infant over to Elgin's parents for the weekend. This was the first time the newlyweds would be away from their daughter, and Sasha was going to ensure they had a relaxed, enjoyable weekend. It was also their first WWE show, and what better event to start with than WrestleMania?

Joe had booked two suites – one for him and Sasha, the other for T.K. and Mia. He was knee deep in Axxess as well as media work and wouldn't catch up with them until late at night. T.K. soon disappeared to go meet up with Alma's sons, so Sasha hung out with Pam until her yawns became too frequent. After ensuring Mia was safely tucked in, she retreated to her own room. She undressed and made herself comfortable in the plush king bed, deciding to sleep in the nude as a little surprise for her boyfriend when he returned.

Sasha knew instinctively that she was awake earlier than she would have liked. Her eyes flickered open, adjusting slowly to the dimly lit room. The time on her phone said seven a.m. Yeah, too early, considering this was a vacation of sorts. A very warm, very familiar body was all up in her space, a massive arm wound around her waist and resting on her breast. She shifted around in the bed and smiled softly, watching her man sleep. Gosh she'd missed him. His chest rose and fell steadily, his breathing deep and even and his face relaxed and peaceful. How beautiful was he? She could stare at him forever.

Joe stirred and moved a little, then his eyelids slowly opened to reveal those beautiful grey irises of his. Sasha's heart fluttered at the small smile that tugged his lips, bringing out the cute little crinkles at the corner of his eyes.

"Hi," he mumbled, snuggling closer to her and closing his eyes again.

Giggling at how tired he sounded, she cupped the underside of his jaw, stroking it gently, then pressed her lips to his. Morning breath be damned – she hadn't kissed him in forever. It was the fourth kiss before Joe realized what was going on and responded. He was still half-asleep, and Sasha reached down and grasped the one part of him that was definitely awake. She felt him gasp into her mouth, his hips arching into her hand on reflex as she stroked and squeezed his cock. She hooked her leg around his ass and eased him inside her, and he broke the kiss long enough to moan, "Oh god, yes." That was the last thing either of them said. They remained on their sides, moving together slowly, bodies grinding and tongues sliding against the other, both humming serenely at their lazy but fantastic morning sex. The pace never changed, staying slow and unhurried, with languid kissing and lazy grinding. Joe slid a hand along Sasha's thigh, gripping her butt to push himself deeper inside her. His middle finger slipped easily between her ass cheeks to probe her entrance, stroking her towards a slow shuddering orgasm that had her shaking in his arms, which only made him hold her tighter. A few seconds later it was him shaking. They stayed wrapped around each other afterwards, continuing their leisurely kissing.

Joe's iPad went off on the nightstand, interrupting their little reunion. "You should answer that. Could be important," Sasha whispered after a few seconds passed.

He really didn't want to, but this was the one week when every beep from each of his devices was important. Rolling onto his back, he reluctantly picked up the iPad and found an awaiting FaceTime call from Ambrose. Rolling his eyes, he tapped the green button. "The hell do you want?" he grumbled.

Jon looked at Sasha on top of Joe, noticed their breathing was on the heavy side, and smirked. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Luckily for your dumb ass, no," Joe said grumpily, "a few minutes earlier and I woulda been really pissed at you."

"Ignore him," Sasha said to Jon. "Everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, Sash. Hunter wants us out an hour earlier before Axxess, big man," said Jon. "Apparently Bryan couldn't make it to the interview for the Network so we gotta take his place."

"Ugh. Didn't we do that shit last year?"

"Yep. Dude, don't you have the shoot at the gym or something? Get up."

"I got an hour, asshole," said Joe.

Sasha squeezed his arm. "Baby! Don't be mean."

"Yeah baby, don't be mean," Jon mimicked.

Joe growled at his friend through the iPad screen. "You are so going down today."

"Yeah right. You're gonna lose just like you did last year," the Cincinnati native scoffed. "Get your ass up, Reigns. Don't make me tell you again."

Once Jon logged off, Joe tossed the iPad aside and groaned. He had a workout shoot at the Levi's Stadium gym soon but all he wanted to do was stay in bed with his woman. "Do I have to get up?"

"You do, sweetie," Sasha cooed gently, raking her fingers through his hair. "Trust me, if we could, we'd never move from this bed. But you gotta."

Exhaling tiredly, he pulled away from her and sat up, setting his feet on the ground. "Come watch me work out," he said to her.

Like she would _ever_ turn down such an invitation. Sasha headed to her suitcase. "Can I bring my camera?"

Joe smirked. "Don't you have enough pics of me already?"

"I could never have enough pictures of your beautiful self, baby." She put on a bra and a t-shirt, then searched for a pair of sweatpants. "What was Jon talking about when he said you'll lose again like last year?"

Recalling the conversation, Joe chuckled. "Oh. It's just a stupid game…Whenever Axxess rolls around, Jon, Colb and I place a wager between the three of us. Whoever signs the least number of autographs has to sing at karaoke after Mania. That was me last year." He cringed. "Man it was terrible."

"I've never seen you do karaoke. I want to hear you sing," said Sasha.

"Hell no."

"Why not? You make fun of my voice all the damn time, hypocrite. Why can't I diss yours?"

Joe shrugged, raking his hair out of his eyes. "Not gonna happen babe. I'm in second place behind Ambrose and we got two days of Axxess left. I like my chances this year," he said proudly.

"Well that's too bad." Sasha shook her head. "I'm going to let the kids know I'm heading out. You, gorgeous, should start getting ready."

"Yes, ma'am." He winced when all of a sudden, she punched his shoulder. "Ow! Babe!"

"I thought I told you to never call me ma'am," she reminded him, crossing the room towards the adjoining door, Joe's darkened eyes absorbing every swing of her hips. "If I didn't like that ass so much, I'd put you over my knee and spank you," he growled.

"Is that a threat, baby?" Bending forwards, she shook her ass and giggled at the look on his face and the snarl that escaped his throat. She quickly disappeared through the door because if he did carry out his threat, she would enjoy it, and then neither of them would get anything done today.

* * *

The camera in Sasha's hands clicked away, capturing Joe at work on the pulldown machine, his back muscles rippling through his tank top. She loved watching him work out. The sight of his body always aroused her. She knew his work ethic, knew what went into taking care of himself. It was his job to make sure he stayed healthy and in shape, and he took it seriously. And boy, did it ever show. He was thick yet muscled at the same time, in all the right places, the planes and angles perfectly sculpted by all the hours he spent running and working out at the gym. Most importantly, there hadn't been a pill in sight, and to say she was relieved was an understatement.

They both got to shower and change in the team's locker room when he was finished. She'd never seen him so happy to shower before, but she understood. He was a die-hard 49ers fan and this was a dream come true for him. They went their separate ways afterwards, with Joe heading off to Axxess while Sasha returned to the hotel. In the afternoon, she, Pam and Elgin, along with Reggie, Cheryl and all the kids were at the Convention Center where Axxess was taking place. Sasha couldn't believe how much there was to see and do, from various memorabilia to meet-and-greets to creating your own Superstar entrance, which Mia, Regina and Gabby had a lot of fun doing. Sasha caught sight of Joe, Jon and Colby at their stand with a long line of fans waiting to meet them. He looked like he was enjoying himself, which was a good thing to see. It was a fun couple of hours, with something for everyone to do.

Saturday night was the Hall of Fame ceremony. Trinity and Ariane whisked Sasha away to a room housing the Total Divas cast with their makeup and hair team. It seemed very exclusive, as only a handful of friends and family of the cast were in there, and Sasha appreciated the kind gesture by the girls. The mother of two was buffed, puffed, and polished to within an inch of her life. She had her makeup professionally applied, her hair done, and she even had a woman help dress her. It certainly was nice to be pampered, though it was a bit overwhelming. By the time she stood in front of the mirror all dressed up, she had to admit they'd done wonders on her, because she barely looked like herself. She used to think her makeup expertise was decent, until now. Every spot, every scar on her features had been expertly obliterated. Her cheekbones popped out and could have easily rivaled Joe's, which was saying something. The false eyelashes she had on made her eyes look bigger and more beautiful. They cost three times the amount she bought hers for, but she could see why.

Sasha adored her dress. As usual, Joe had insisted on buying, leaving his credit card with her so she could get any dress she wanted and he would match up his tie and pocket square. The sapphire colored strapless gown was sequined and molded every inch of her body from bust to bottom, the rest of the dress falling in a sweeping train to the floor. She wasn't really one for strapless dresses but it wasn't so much of an issue anymore because she was more confident showing off her not-so-flabby-anymore arms. Her strappy diamante sandals were gorgeous, and the outfit managed to make her look sexy yet elegant and sophisticated.

"Damn, girl," Pam gushed, looking her best friend over as they stood in front of the mirror in Sasha's suite. "You're gonna steal the show tonight."

Sasha shrugged. "It's my first Hall of Fame. I can't show up lookin' like the help," she replied. "Gotta show them tricks what I'm workin' with, ya know?"

"Oh, they know." Pam grinned, fixing one of the bobby pins holding Sasha's hair. "I'm just amazed the dress can accommodate your tits, Miss Jessica Rabbit."

"Hey, yours are catching up with mine. Finally," Sasha joked, causing Pam to laugh.

Mia sat on the bed, staring adoringly at her mother. "You look so pretty, Mama," the little girl said.

"Thanks, baby." Sasha glanced at the mirror again, looking into her dress, hoping the stick-on bra did its job tonight otherwise she'd be royally screwed.

"Wow."

She whirled around and smiled as Joe entered the suite with Elgin. She was struck by how amazing he looked. His broad shoulders filled the suit jacket so well, and he was tall enough to carry the elegance of the outfit, his black hair combed back perfectly, his grey eyes even more striking against the solid black of the tux. A sapphire blue tie and matching pocket square rounded off his outfit. He walked around her as she stood by the mirror. "You're gonna steal all my spotlight, _nani_," he said, one hand on her hip, wishing very much that they were alone.

"That's what I told her," Pam chimed in.

"You know that ain't possible," Sasha countered, looking at her boyfriend, "You walk into a room and everyone stops breathing."

"I'm surprised I'm breathing right now." Joe stopped in front of her, lifted her hand, and pressed a kiss to it. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" he asked.

Sasha felt herself warm all over. "I'm not that special, babe."

Tilting her chin up with his thumb and forefinger, Joe gazed into her brown eyes. "You are beautiful, Sasha, inside and out. Because you appreciate all of this in ways no one I've ever been with has."

Pam fanned her moist eyes and turned to her husband. "Aww, how cute are they, Gin?"

Elgin cringed and shook his head. "Don't ruin it, babe," he warned.

Feeling the sting of tears, Sasha leaned into her boyfriend. "Don't make me cry, or you'll have to wait another half-hour for me to fix my makeup."

"Unfortunately we don't got that kinda time." Kissing her forehead, Joe linked his fingers with Sasha's. "Come on. Let's go have some fun."

* * *

Sasha didn't know what to expect, having never been to any red carpet before. The flashbulbs went off in her face as she, Joe and T.K. walked into the building hosting the ceremony. The teen insisted on tagging along, wanting badly to see these legends for himself. Sasha thought he looked as dapper in a suit as her boyfriend did, and just as comfortable walking the carpet, the complete opposite of her. Actually, Tyson seemed very comfortable in this environment, having already made friends with different people and networking with wrestlers in the few days he was here. She admired her son's proactivity. Joe smiled and waved to fans and stopped to pose for the cameras, keeping a gentle hold on Sasha's waist as he talked to reporters, magazines, entertainment television and the like. Sasha wanted to take a step back to let Joe have the floor. He was the famous one after all. But he kept her by his side, letting everyone know exactly who she was to him. Luckily Renee was great with her, and was kind enough to ensure that the spotlight stayed on Joe when it was her turn to interview her colleague.

At the ceremony itself, Sasha listened to the speeches of the Hall of Famers, intrigued by the stories. Sitting beside Joe, T.K. was still, almost frozen with fascination as he absorbed every word each legend spoke. Joe was the same, and seeing the light in both of her men's eyes was uplifting. When the show went to a commercial break, she leaned closer to Joe. "You're gonna be up there one day, making your own speech," she said, gesturing to the podium on stage.

He turned to her. "You think so?"

She smiled. "I know so. And I can't wait to see it happen."

Joe returned her smile, his heart warm and happy. He liked how she always built him up and boosted him with lovely words. Squeezing her fingers gently, he leaned in to kiss her forehead, thankful to have her by his side.

* * *

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Babe, I'm fine."

Alone in the quiet sanctuary of the Shield locker room, Sasha closely observed her boyfriend as he got dressed. WrestleMania was finally here, and the pre-show was about to start. She had come backstage to check in on him. "You sure? You're not feeling any awkward twinge somewhere or nothin'?" she persisted.

As he laced up his boots, Joe fought the urge to roll his eyes. She'd been clucking around like a mother hen for the past couple of minutes, bringing him water, a protein shake, trying to massage his shoulders. He loved his girl to pieces, but right now he needed her to back up for a few seconds so he could have some space. "I'm alright, Sash. I've told you that."

"Yeah but you never kn-"

"Sasha!" he cut her off pointedly, growing irritated by her fussing. "Stop. Please."

His sharp tone caused Sasha to cross her arms petulantly. "I just wanna help," she mumbled, chastened.

Rising to his feet, he stared at her, his features softening. "I know. You're nervous too," he surmised. "You and Trin fuss and fret when you're nervous and it drives me nuts," he added with a chuckle, crossing the locker room to get the rest of his things.

"I'm only scared you'll get injured again." The mere thought made her sick to her stomach. She didn't think she could handle that again.

Joe picked up his vest and put it on. "Injuries are part of the game, baby girl. But we always try to be careful as possible. Besides, we're only gonna be in there for like five minutes tonight. It's basically a squash match."

Sasha walked over to him, pressed her body against his back and circled her arms around him from behind. She never needed a reason to touch him, he was too irresistible. She pressed her ear to his back, listening to his heartbeat. She noted how quiet he'd become. "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

She knew him so well now, didn't she? Breathing deeply, Joe rubbed his fingers against her own. "Six years ago I was installing office furniture for Cassie to make ends meet," he whispered, his voice tinged with awe. "Three years ago I was a complete nobody in this business. Now I'm at another WrestleMania, performing in front of over seventy thousand people. Sometimes it doesn't feel real that I'm in the spot I'm in."

Sasha was very aware of the journey he'd taken, the obstacles he'd had to overcome to get himself to this position, and she couldn't be any prouder of him. Walking around him so they were face to face, she said, "Well, I got news for you. It is real." She ran her hands up and down his sides. "I know how hard you've worked and you deserve to be in this spot. You believe that, don't you, baby?"

He met his girlfriend's eyes, her encouraging smile once again injecting a boost of confidence into him. He nodded. "I do."

At his answer, Sasha shrugged conclusively. "Good. So do I. And dare I say, you look damn good in that spot." Ensuring his vest was properly zipped up, she patted his chest. "You ready?"

There was a twinkle in his eye. "I was born ready," the Samoan answered, the arrogance his character was well-known for resurfacing. Gazing fondly at her, he bent down and kissed her lips, letting his thumb trace her jaw. He felt her hands smooth their way down his sides and then settle on his butt as she kissed him back. He started to forget that Jon and Colby were waiting for him outside; all he could think about were her soft, succulent lips.

"Damn it Reigns, you ain't going off to war!" Colby had poked his head into the locker room. "Let's go!"

Sasha forced herself to pull away. "I love you. Be careful," she whispered.

Joe nodded, if only to give her peace of mind. "Love you too. I'll see you out there." He stole a few more kisses off of her, resting his forehead against hers briefly before groaning and walking out of the room. Fanning herself, Sasha followed him out, wondering if she would ever get used to that man's sexiness.

* * *

At last, WrestleMania was over, and it had gone down brilliantly. The boys delivered in their match as always, and Sasha was glad to know she had worried for no reason. T.K. and Mia had loved every second of the show. Sasha found it weird that she hadn't known how much her kids loved wrestling until Joe came into the picture. And now that he was looking more and more like a permanent staple in their lives, along with T.K.'s plans to go pro, it was evident that wrestling was not leaving her household anytime soon. But she was willing to embrace the sport fully. As long as she got to keep that sinfully sexy Samoan in her bed, she would gladly learn to.

After the show, most of the roster headed to the hotel bar they had rented out for the night for the karaoke contest, which turned out to be one of the most fun spectacles Sasha had ever watched. Of course there were the obligatory atrocious Whitney-Mariah wannabe attempts, and then there was an elderly patron's powerful rendition of Lionel Richie's 'Hello' that got a standing ovation from everyone in the bar. The Bella sisters did a passable rendition of 'Call Me Maybe', Wade Barrett sang 'Wonderwall' and actually had everyone waving their hands in the air, while Elgin was dragged onstage by Pam to sing Wyclef Jean and Mary J. Blige's '911'. Sasha wanted to join in the singing but was stopped by Joe's withering glare, causing her to shrink back meekly in her seat. The highlight of the night had to be Colby's over-the-top performance of 'Kiss from a Rose'. He may have lost the wager among the Shield boys but that was not going to stop him from putting on a show. The alcohol he'd ingested might have also had something to do with his courage. Joe and Jon actually rushed onto the stage to flap the ends of Colby's shirt and his hair to create an impressive visual of wind. It was a good way for the talent and crew to let their hair down after an incredibly busy week.

Somehow proceedings segued from singing to dancing, with the bar turning into a makeshift nightclub. Watching Pam and Elgin grinding it up on the dance floor as she sipped on her drink through a straw, Sasha rested against Joe, his arm wound possessively around her shoulders while he talked with Fandango, relishing the feel of his fingertips trailing her exposed thigh. He pressed small kisses on her head whenever he got the chance, and she couldn't help but smile inwardly. There were so many young, attractive women in the room and yet all his attention was on her. It was something she never took for granted.

She wasn't wearing anything more than a cropped black Hounds of Justice tank top and a high-waisted turquoise maxi skirt with a slit on the side, but damn if Joe wasn't turned on right now. She was dancing in her seat, rubbing her body against him while she sucked on that damn straw. Her floral perfume wafted through his nose and made him want to suck the skin off her neck. Her thigh was soft and silky smooth, tempting him to touch more, and was glad the table in front of them protected them from inquisitive eyes. The moment Fandango left, Joe weaved the hand not on her shoulders further into her skirt, surprised to find bare flesh. Bending down so his mouth was by her ear, he said, "Now I know you had panties on this morning. Pink lace thong, matching your bra. Where'd they go?"

Casting a teasing gaze at him, she removed the straw from her mouth. "I had to take 'em off. They were wet."

Joe squeezed his eyes shut. "When did this happen?"

She looked like she was trying to remember. "During your match. It started when I saw you wearing that mask. And then you howled before hitting the triple powerbomb."

Holy shit. She'd been wandering around without panties virtually all night. Had he known this earlier they would never have made it to karaoke. They weren't staying any longer either. "Let's get outta here," he said.

His ash-hued eyes smoldered, the desire loud and clear in his tone. Getting up without another word, she grabbed his hand and quietly led him out of the bar. They were only prevented from ravaging each other in the elevator because there were other occupants inside. The minute the door to their suite shut, Joe pounced, smothering Sasha against the door as he kissed her hungrily, and she moaned as his tongue invaded her mouth. His hand slipped back under her skirt and massaged her folds, teasing her warm wetness with his fingers. Knowing he was the reason she was so aroused was a turn-on in itself. "You've become so bold, baby girl," he murmured in her ear, "You always had a daring side but now you just don't give a fuck. I like it a lot."

Sasha bit her lip, closed her eyes, and squirmed against his hand. How she was still standing upright she didn't know. He stepped back to yank her top over her head, unclip her bra, then strip away his own clothes before he shoved his lips back against hers, grinding his crotch against her center. "Baby if I don't have you now I'm gonna die," he rumbled, his needy tone sweeping shivers down her spine and curling her toes.

Meeting his eyes determinedly, she linked her hands behind his neck. "Fuckin' take me then," she whispered back.

He smiled, gathered her skirt up to her waist and lifted her up, her wedges slipping off her feet and clattering to the floor behind him. Pinning her against the door, he plunged into her in one swift stroke, letting out a triumphant moan as her moist warmth immediately welcomed him. He kept his eyes on her face as he pulled out and drove in again, pumping upwards into her with several hard, exquisite thrusts that made her bang her head back against the door and arch her body into him. Sasha felt the pulse of her pussy, demanding more of the sinful pleasure he gave her. Her legs wrapped around him and pulled him into her, seeking depth and possession. Clutching the hair on top of his head, she cried out when his teeth sank into her neck, making her shudder with delight and rake her nails along his shoulders. Her moans amplified as he accelerated, slamming her against the door with his delicious cock. How he had the strength for sex after matches was always a wonder, but she was never going to complain, not when she benefitted immensely from his enviable stamina.

It bordered on obsession, the way Joe craved to hear the erotic sounds his woman made when she got lost in the throes of bliss. And now, caught in the frenzy of their lovemaking, he wanted more. He pushed off the door and hooked his hands underneath Sasha's big, round backside, keeping her in midair, lifting her steadily up and down on his cock. He watched her eyes roll back and her lips part in pleasure at the tasty new angle, a squeal sounding from her when he hit a sweet spot inside her warm, moist depths. Joe gritted his teeth as pleasure licked the length of his spine, almost rendering his knees weak. But he kept his cool and held her, continuing to bounce her on his dick, his eyes trained on her face. "Damn, _nani_. You feel so good." He showed his appreciation with a sharp smack of her ass, loving the surprised yelp she uttered in response.

Sasha was in another dimension at that moment. She couldn't think, could barely breathe. She was completely turned on by her man's physical strength, fucking her while holding her up like she weighed nothing. So strong, so sexy and so full of surprises every time. Without warning, he began picking up speed, and Sasha held onto him for dear life, her groans snowballing into more groans as he drove his cock impossibly deep inside her with savage ferocity. When she managed to speak, her voice was unrecognizable. "Oh god," she said hoarsely, keeping a tight hold around his neck, "Baby…fuck, I'm gonna come…"

"Damn right you're gonna come." Joe clamped his hands tighter to her ass and pounded into her. "Come on, baby girl. Give it to me."

She was screaming before he finished his sentence, her legs quaking uncontrollably as her body splintered into a hundred pieces. Joe watched her deteriorate with a satisfied smile on his face. He leaned in, gently kissing her neck, massaging the fleshy twin globes in his grasp. She was still twitching and recollecting herself when he began walking to the couch, still deep inside her. "Come lay down, baby. I wanna taste your cum." Setting her down on the couch, he bent her over the armrest, then descended to his knees behind her. Grabbing a fistful of her skirt he yanked it forcibly, ripping the chiffon material clean in two. As he threw the skirt on the floor, Sasha laughed as she stared down at the ruined garment. "Baby, you killed my skirt."

"I'll buy you another one," he growled. Caressing her backside with both hands, he put his mouth on her, licking along the length of her sex, humming with satisfaction as the taste of her release instantly soaked his tongue. Sasha sank into the couch, and gasping in pleasure, she arched, pushing her butt into Joe's face. He held onto her hips while his long tongue carefully explored her throbbing sensitive spot. She caught a glimpse of their reflection in the mirror a few feet away, her naked and dangling over the edge of the couch, Joe naked and kneeling on the floor working her from behind. The sight curled her toes and tightened her inner walls. Just as the heat began building inside her again, he eased off, rose to his feet and flipped her onto her back. Before she could blink, he was on top of her and deep inside her in one hard push.

Sasha groaned as Joe swung her leg around his neck, pushing the other one out wide to accommodate him. Holding onto her thigh, he rocked his hips at as steady a pace as he could endure. Their breaths expelled in heavy pants, the sounds reverberating around the suite. Joe groaned as she clenched him right away, squeezing every inch of him as he moved inside her. "Fuck, girl, fuckin' good pussy," he said through gritted teeth, quickening his tempo. "Ah, so fuckin' amazing."

"All for you, baby." She rested on her elbows, looking between their sweat-slick bodies to watch his length piston in and out of her. "Fuck that pussy, big boy. Spear me." A whimper sounded in the back of her throat as shocks of pleasure whizzed through her body, and she started to tip her head back but was stopped by Joe's lips scooping hers, stealing the little breath she had left. She got what she asked for as he upped the ante, thrusting harder into her. "Fuck, holy fuckin' shit Joe," she moaned loudly. So much power, so much delicious intensity that only her man was capable of exuding, engulfing her. Goose bumps rose all along her twisted limbs, and tears sprang to her eyes as the pressure within her mounted and built and pushed her to the brink of complete ecstasy. Her walls constricted around his length, bringing her ever closer to what was sure to be a mind-blowing climax.

Watching her toss her head back, hearing her pleading, breathy voice and feeling her tighten around him only prompted him to keep going. Kissing the leg on his shoulder, he rolled his hips against hers, grinding nice and deep, coaxing her closer and closer. "You wanna come again, baby? Huh?"

She'd expected it, but when the dam burst, it was with such force that she screamed afresh, trembling hard and long against her man. "Oh my god…" she whimpered, melting into the couch. "Fuck Joe, you're a fuckin' beast."

His chuckle was one of pure virile pride and satisfaction. He pulled her arms above her head, pinning them down with one hand. With the other, he grasped her breast, callous fingers tweaking and pinching her nipple. Sweat streaking his body, he curled into her and latched his lips to her neck, plunging into her once again as he powered towards his own climax. Sasha squeezed her free leg around his hip, allowing deeper, tighter penetration into her slick, soaked flesh that halved his duration level in one fell swoop.

"Fuck!" he whined, hips pumping desperately, plowing into her with enough strength to rock the couch. "Shit, Sasha, I'm gonna come!"

"Come inside me, big boy," Sasha encouraged him as he growled and panted against her throat, the hand on her breast moving to her ass. "Give it to me. I want all of it." She loved when he lost it like this, when all he could think about was fucking her into oblivion, because it was all she wanted too — this meeting of bodies and animal passion, their need for each other primal and wild. His hands and mouth were magical, giving her pleasure with every touch. Pleasure she wanted from no one else but him.

Her husky voice and words were like pulling the pin out of a grenade. Joe's hips reflexively lurched forwards, and a harsh grunt tumbled out of his throat as he came hard. All he could do was groan his unbridled pleasure as he emptied into her, intense sensation coursing through his body. He remained on top of her when his orgasm ebbed away, and he dipped his head to kiss each of her breasts. Sasha managed to pull one of her hands free from his to caress his hair. Their lips met with a calm intensity that warmed and comforted them both in the aftermath of such incredible bliss. Joe then carried her to the bed and climbed in with her. "Remind me to buy you new panties tomorrow," he told her.

"And a skirt," added Sasha, causing him to chuckle. "And a skirt," he agreed. He held her to him, settling his nose in her hair. "You drive me insane, Sash," he whispered.

Sasha managed a tired laugh. The feeling was very mutual. She leaned into his embrace, placing open-mouthed kisses along his collarbone. "You okay, handsome?"

Joe sighed happily. "I'm perfect."

Sasha tangled her fingers in his hair and lowered her face to his, kissing him again. "Yes you are, my love. Yes you are."

* * *

_**The karaoke part actually happened in real life, ages ago with my friends. It was awesome. :D**_

_**There was more narration than dialogue in this, hope you don't mind. :)**_

_**And nope, this wasn't the chapter I was talking about… *evil grin***_

_**Thoughts on this chapter? Kindly review! Top to bottoms very welcomed.**_


	54. Chapter 54

_**A/N: Am I the only one that teared up a little while watching Roman's documentary? I swear I was not prepared for all those feels, man, lol. Such a cute family. It only made me like the guy more, tbh.**_

_**Over 100k views on ITDE! Eeeeep! Thank you so much! I hope I'm making you all proud. Special thanks to **__LetItReign, Alexis Black-Reigns, ChelleLew, KailahBoo11, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, nikki1335, CarolReigns, angelsdee327, PassionWriter101, Anon, benova13, LuxuriaVanitas, corbettluv, mitchy21, Siren's Call To The Dead, Shield316, Chermayne, DeeMarie426, Bharm, CFierce116, princessreigns, sixxyb, ItReignsJustice-619, Tammy __**and**__ justkimmy__** for reviewing!**_

_**Enjoy!**_

* * *

Joe exhaled wistfully as he settled in the plush leather seat. "Gosh, I can't believe I'm almost thirty. Where the hell did time go?"

Sitting to his right, Sasha raised an eyebrow at him. "You ain't thirty for another two years. If you're whining now, what'chu gonna do when you're almost _forty, _hmm?" she asked cynically.

"Hope I look as good as you?" He flashed her a wide, innocent smile, and Sasha rolled her eyes. "Good save."

It was perfect timing that he would be back home on his birthday. Once Sasha found that out, she made plans, starting with a quiet lunch date. After that they would go see the new blockbuster with Dwayne that he'd been clamoring to watch. What Joe didn't know was that she was keeping him away from the house to pave the way for the little surprise that would be awaiting him when they returned home.

It was a breezy afternoon, and lunch was at the restaurant with a rooftop setting which offered a great view of downtown Tampa as well as delicious food. Joe picked up his menu booklet. "How was yoga with Pam this morning?" he asked.

"Good." Sasha smiled, then narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "Have _you_ ever tried yoga?"

He shot her a strange look. "Um, no."

"Not masculine enough for you?" She rolled her eyes.

"It's not that, I just like a rigorous workout. Hell, I barely do CrossFit but you expect me to do yoga?"

"Fine, I won't ask again. But don't knock it if you haven't tried it," she giggled, casting a glance at her phone before focusing on her menu.

"Sometimes I feel like you bite that lip just to torture me."

Sasha looked up and met Joe's eyes, dark and suggestive, and her body grew warm, like it always did when he looked at her like that. "I don't know what you mean." Her eyes widened innocently.

"Sure you don't." Joe grinned wolfishly. "I remember our very first date. It was all I could do not to lean across the table and bite off that lip."

"It's a bad habit," she confessed, "Still working on it."

"It's a hot bad habit." A smirk tugged his lips. "I also remember you not letting me kiss you that night."

Grinning at the memory, Sasha shook her head. "Trust me baby, if I let you, we'd have had sex right there on the pavement. I wanted you so bad. I just needed to catch my breath. You were a…lot to take in. Still are, to be honest."

He brushed a large hand over her thigh. "You looked so gorgeous that night," he smiled, "Just like you do now."

He was really laying the charm on thick today. Was he trying to score some birthday ass for tonight? Before she could ask, a waitress appeared at their table.

"Good afternoon, what can I get you today? Would you like to start with an appetizer?" Rounding the table, the waitress froze when she saw Joe, and all the blood drained from her face.

"Oh my god, oh my god…Roman Reigns!" she exclaimed. "Oh wow! I'm such a big fan, Roman…er…sir. You're my favorite member of the Shield! Oh my god, I can't believe you're here! Can I get a picture?" The words all came out in a rush and Sasha could only sit back and raise an eyebrow in amusement. Happened all the time.

The Samoan glanced at Sasha, then pasted on a panty-dropping smirk for the waitress. As the smile did not quite reach his eyes, Sasha instantly knew that this was the smile he used for fans. It was fascinating to watch – him molding them all in his hands like putty, working them and making them feel special for those few seconds he granted them.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, no photographs right now," Joe said kindly, "but I could sign something for you."

"Oh great! Here." Instantly she shoved the notepad and pen she was holding at him.

"What's your name, darlin'?"

"Ellen. Oh my gosh, wait until my friends find out I met you! They'll be so jealous." Her grin was about to split her face.

"Here you go, Ellen." He passed the pad back to her and she clutched it to her chest, and Sasha had to look down to keep from laughing and rolling her eyes. After a few lengthy seconds of the waitress just standing there staring at Joe, Sasha decided to step in.

"So um, we'd like to order now, if that's okay with you, Ellen."

She shook herself out of her trance and blushed, not meeting Sasha's eyes. "Oh, of course. What can I get you?" She stared expectantly at Joe and he smirked, turning to Sasha with his hand still on her thigh. "You order first, baby."

And her man was back. "I'll have the turkey club, please, without the onion rings," said Sasha.

"And what can I get you, Mr. Reigns…er…sir?" Ellen's face was on fire.

"I'll have the same as my girlfriend, and a bottle of your best white wine." He smiled at Ellen, who nodded. "Okay, let me know if I can get you anything else. Thanks again for the autograph!" And off she went.

"You okay?" Sasha asked when they were alone.

Joe shrugged. "Yeah, that wasn't so bad. Kinda used to the attention. You?"

"Amused. Then again, Pam and I were pretty much the same when we met LL Cool J at WrestleMania," she said, sighing dreamily at the memory and placing her hand over her heart.

Joe rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, I remember that." Suddenly he held his hands up, shaking them animatedly in the air. "_Oh my god oh my god! It's LL Cool J! I like, love you so much!_" he said in a squeaky, Valley girl voice that both impressed and worried her. Bursting into laughter, she pushed his arm. "I do _not_ sound like that!" she dissented, "Pam, maybe, but not me."

"I'ma tell her you said that. She'll kick your ass all over Tampa," he replied, leaning into her touch when she reached over to tuck a stray strand of his hair behind his ear.

The wine arrived, followed by their lunch, and Sasha picked up her glass. "I noticed you don't drink Jack anymore," she observed her boyfriend.

"Haven't touched a drop in months," Joe concurred, smiling sheepishly. "You know how much I've struggled with it. Might as well stay away from it completely."

She leaned in and kissed his lips. "I'm so proud of you, baby. You've been doing real good."

"Thanks. I'm trying." He reached over and took her hand, raising it to his lips, and Sasha smiled at the blush that colored his cheeks.

They settled in to enjoy their lunch, but other waitresses kept stopping by their table to get Joe's autograph or gush about how much they loved watching him on TV, how cool they thought his Superman punch was, and some even asked about Jon and Colby. It got from adorable to annoying real quick for Sasha. This was meant to be a private lunch and they were invading that privacy. Of course Joe remained his sweet self, politely returning every greeting, but Sasha thought they were being unprofessional. Luckily the restaurant wasn't too busy otherwise there would probably have been customers coming over as well.

When she'd finally lost count of how many employees had come to interrupt their lunch, she got to her feet.

"You okay, babe?" Joe asked her.

"I'm fine. I'll be right back." She gave him a bright, reassuring smile and left the table, making her way to the bar. She found Ellen there, the waitress's star-struck stare quickly shifting from Joe when she saw Sasha approaching.

"I need to speak with the manager, please," said Sasha.

"Oh, sure. I'll go get her." She disappeared into what Sasha assumed was the kitchen and reappeared with a tall redhead, seemingly the only member of staff who hadn't managed to make it to their table yet.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" the lady said with a genial smile.

"I hope so. My boyfriend and I are having lunch here, and your staff has been interrupting us to ask him for autographs and to speak with him." She trailed off, observing the other woman's seemingly blank features. "You might not know him, he's-"

The lady smiled warmly. "I have two granddaughters. They're big wrestling fans," she said, her smile turning to a frown. "I'm sorry, my staff shouldn't have approached you at all. That's against policy. Can I comp your lunch?"

Sasha shook her head. "It's not about the money, ma'am. It's about the lack of privacy. I'd just really appreciate it if you'd ask them to stop." She tried not to sound like a bitch as she laid her complaint.

"I completely understand," said the manager. "I'll take care of it. I apologize on behalf of my staff."

Nodding her head in thanks, Sasha walked away, overhearing Ellen apologize to her boss, and returned to her seat next to Joe. "No one will be bothering you again," she informed him.

"What did you do?"

"I went to Management. Other customers are one thing, but it's not appropriate for the staff to interrupt us every five minutes."

"_Nani_, this is just how it is sometimes."

She shrugged one shoulder, maintaining her obstinate stance. "Well, not today. It's my boyfriend's birthday and this is my lunch date with him. I don't get to see him much so forgive me if I'm not really in the mood to share."

At her words, Joe's eyes softened, and the smile he gave her was even hotter than the drop-your-panties one he gave Ellen. "Look at my sassy warrior queen, marking her territory," he praised.

"Just looking out for mine, baby," she smiled sweetly, the beep of her phone attracting her attention.

"You keep checking your phone," Joe pointed out, raising a curious eyebrow. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," she said simply, shoving some food into her mouth so she wouldn't have to explain any further.

The rest of the meal was delicious and they were indeed no longer bothered, unless to ask if they wanted more wine or dessert. At the end of their lunch, Ellen placed the leather check holder on the table and walked away without a word. Joe opened it, then there was a look of surprise on his features before he smiled and passed it to Sasha. Instead of a check, there was a note.

_Dear Sir,_

_We appreciate your patience and generosity toward our staff. Today's lunch is on the house. Please accept this $150 gift card to join us again, uninterrupted, soon._

"Wow," said Sasha, "I guess my chat with the manager worked."

"Looks like we got another date night in our future. All thanks to my warrior queen." Joe slipped the card in his wallet and grinned at Sasha.

* * *

"How awesome was that machine gun scene though?" Joe said, as they walked hand in hand towards the front steps of their home, the sky above them starting to darken. "I swear every time a new movie of his comes out I get more jealous."

Sasha merely smiled, listening to her boyfriend gush about the movie they just watched. Sitting at the very top row of the stadium-style seats, they'd gotten the full cinema experience, with popcorn, hot dogs and 3D glasses. He couldn't remember the last time he went to the movies and seeing how much he'd enjoyed it, she was glad she'd thought about the idea.

As they ascended up the short steps, Joe pulled her close to him and kissed the top of her head. "I had such a good time today, baby girl."

'Today' wasn't quite over, but she would let him figure that out for himself. "I'm happy you did."

"Still wish you let me pay for shit though."

Incredulous, Sasha rolled her eyes. "It's your birthday; you shouldn't be paying for shit."

"You know the best part about today though?"

"What's that?"

"I got to spend it with you." He turned to look at her, his heart in his charcoal-hued gaze. "How have I coped without you in my life?"

Touching his cheek, Sasha guided his head down so their foreheads met. "You have coped babe, and you woulda kept coping," she assured him. "You've been through so much and yet here you are, still standing, conquering the world. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for, Joe. Don't ever forget that."

Joe smiled and kissed her, the only response he had for such touching words. He unlocked the front door, and Sasha hung back a little, allowing him to walk inside first.

"_SURPRISE!_"

Joe nearly jumped out of his skin when he turned on the lights, his grey eyes filled with confused shock at the sight of all the people inside the house. Along with T.K. and Mia, he spotted his parents, his brother, both his sisters and all their kids, along with Reggie and his family. He hadn't seen any of them since Mania a month ago. As they all launched into a rendition of "Happy Birthday", Joe met Sasha's cheeky, knowing smile. "You sly little minx. So this is why you kept looking at your phone and acting all secretive and shit," he scolded, but there was a big happy grin on his handsome face and a hint of tears in his eyes. He enveloped her in a tight hug and a kiss on the lips.

Soon enough the house was filled with laughter, wrapping paper and cake, with the lucky birthday boy having three to choose from. Sasha ensured she took enough pictures for him to look back on fondly when he returned to work in a couple of days' time. She grinned from ear to ear as she watched him chat with Patricia, happy to see her man so happy. And not just him; her kids looked right at home with the Anoa'i family. T.K. and his new best friends it seemed, Matai and Jacob, playing pool in the corner. Mia on Sika's lap, the old man roaring with laughter at whatever the little girl had said. It was all so...perfect. Suddenly overwhelmed, Sasha glanced away, wiping the tears from her eyes before anyone noticed.

* * *

By eleven o'clock the last guest had left, and the house was quiet again. T.K. took Mia to bed and returned downstairs to help Joe and Sasha clean up the living room. As Joe dumped another stack of disposable plates in the trash, he felt a hand on the small of his back.

"Bedroom. Fifteen minutes." Sasha's voice was a soft, cryptic whisper in his ear. Standing back upright, he turned to her, but she'd already brushed past him and was heading upstairs. He had no idea what she was up to, but the excitement of finding out was strong enough to make him finish up quicker. He took the stairs two at a time, trying not to trip on his own feet in his haste. He opened the door to the bedroom and paused, noticing the dimmed lights. The familiar floral fragrance that he liked on Sasha permeated the air. The wooden chair that was usually in a corner now sat in the middle of the room.

"Lock the door, baby."

He looked in the direction of where her voice came from, and his mouth went dry. Sasha was walking towards him, wearing a dress shirt – his own, surely, as it fell to the middle of her thighs – a black skinny tie and fishnet stockings. Her hair was up in a bun. The outfit was capped off, to his great pleasure, with the very same red Louboutin stilettos from their incredible weekend in Pensacola. He would never forget those shoes as long as he lived. "What's going on, _nani_?" he inquired.

"I got a secret present for you, Daddy," she said, taking his blazer from him and putting it away.

His grey gaze followed her backside and involuntarily, his tongue darted out over his lips. "Do I get a clue?"

"Oh, you will in a minute. Take a seat, handsome. Make yourself comfortable." Placing her hands on his chest, she backed him into the chair, and he sat down and settled in eagerly. He had a feeling he was going to enjoy what was coming.

"Now you never hesitate to remind me that I can't sing for shit, so I'll let Bey handle that," Sasha said. "Listen to every word, baby. It's me talking to you, meaning every word."

Picking up the remote for the iPhone speakers, she switched to the planned track and turned her back to Joe. The song began, and Beyoncé's smoky voice filled the air.

_I just wanna show you how much I appreciate you  
Wanna show you how much I'm dedicated to you  
Wanna show you how much I will forever be true_

Zoning in on the music, Sasha's hips swayed from side to side, then rolled in circular motions. She went slow, bending slightly at the knees as she moved her hips left and right, letting Joe drink in her curves. She pulled out the band securing her hair, letting the long tresses flow down her shoulders. Her hands found their way into her hair, shaking it out before she swiveled around to face Joe, love and desire burning in her gaze.

_Wanna show you how much you got your girl feelin' good  
Wanna show you how much, how much you're understood  
Wanna show you how much, I value what you say  
Not only are you loyal, you're patient with me bae_

She loosened her necktie, pulling it off and letting it slip to the floor. Her fingers teased the first three buttons on her shirt open, giving Joe a glimpse of the green and black lace and satin bra underneath. Her hands clasped her breasts and slowly rubbed them, an audible moan slipping from her lips as she closed her eyes, her hands gliding up and down her torso, her thighs, visualizing her man's hands on her, and it was enough to dampen her panties. Sasha caressed herself some more, then caught the hem of her shirt and pulled it up enough to expose her stomach and panties. Her eyes opened to see Joe shift in his chair, lips pursed, his hands clenched into fists on his thighs.

Blowing him a kiss, she tied her shirt in a knot, she continued to roll her body, her hips keeping up their sensual twirl as she lowered down to a squatting position, opening and closing her legs with her hands on her knees to the beat of the song. She then stretched her legs so that she landed in a perfect split on the floor. It was a trick she hadn't tried in years but the look on Joe's face told her the attempt was worth it. Another graceful swipe of her leg and she was back on her feet with ease. Turning her back to Joe, she bent over sharply, her legs parted and knees locked, her hands touching the floor. She rolled her ass in the air for a few seconds before pulling back up, dragging her fingers up her legs and thighs. Months of yoga coupled by her natural abilities as a dancer and the self-confidence she'd rebuilt thanks to the stunning man seated in front of her, were the only reason she could have gone through with any of this tonight.

_Wanna show you how much, I really care about your heart  
I wanna show you how much, I hate being apart  
Show ya, show ya, show ya til you're through with me  
I wanna keep it how it is, so you can never say how it used to be_

Joe could only stare, mesmerized by her body – that goddamn ass – and the audacious way she was using it to tease him. Without realizing he was doing it, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a hundred dollar bill, dangling it between his fingers. "C'mere baby. Daddy's got somethin' for ya," he growled. He couldn't help himself; this little show of hers warranted a monetary reward.

Sasha sauntered towards her boyfriend, one foot in front of the other, her curvy hips swinging. She plucked the money out of his hand, edging away as soon as he reached for her. "Ah-ah, you ain't slick, big boy. No touching yet," she warned, wagging a finger at him as she stuffed the money into her bra. Flashing him a wink, she trailed her fingers along his boulder-like shoulders as she circled his chair, stopping directly behind him. She bent low to nip his earlobe, then slowly lowered herself down, running her hands along his muscular arms and pulling them behind his back. Her hand snuck underneath the chair, where she'd concealed the handcuffs, and swiftly, she slapped them on his wrists. Rising back up, she gripped his hair and tugged it back roughly so he was looking at her upside down.

_Loving you is really all that's on my mind  
And I can't help but to think about it day and night  
I wanna make that body rock, sit back and watch_

"Babe," he warned.

"Just a precaution, Daddy. Don't need you gettin' frisky just yet."

A low growl emanated from Joe as he licked his lips. "Say Daddy again."

She tossed a leg over his shoulder, rubbing her thigh against the side of his face, and leaned down next to his ear. "Does it turn you on when I call you Daddy?" she whispered, grinning when he groaned and turned his head to lick her inner thigh. She forced herself to pull away otherwise this dance would be cut real short.

_Tonight I'm gonna dance for you  
Tonight I'm gonna dance for you  
Tonight I'm gonna put my body on your body  
Boy I like it when you watch me, ah  
Tonight it's going down_

Strutting round the chair to his front, she blew him another kiss and bent at the waist, ensuring he could see her cleavage. She placed her palms on his knees and pushed them further apart. Giving a sultry whip of her hair, she stared at him through her long lashes as she swung one leg over his, then the other, and straddled his lap. A soft moan left her lips as she was greeted by the hard ridge of his length straining through his pants, straining for her. Gripping the head of the chair, she leaned in and flicked her tongue over his top lip, grinning when he tried unsuccessfully to catch it. She pushed her breasts forward, right in his face, and started to roll her ass to the beat of the song, grinding on his crotch. She lost herself to the pulse of the music, drinking in the familiar scent of his cologne, her arousal starting to flare.

_I'll be rockin' on my babe, rockin', rockin' on my babe  
Swirlin' my babe swirlin', swirlin' on my babe  
Baby lemme put my body on your body  
Promise not to tell nobody cuz  
It's 'bout to go down_

Still dancing on him, she unbuttoned his shirt, parting the halves and caressing his broad, smooth chest with her palms. His moan was lustful, needy, and she placated him with a slow, smoldering kiss. He reciprocated by forcing her mouth open with his and tangling their tongues together in a heated clash, making Sasha heady and more stimulated than she already was. She flicked her tongue inside his mouth, all the while rotating her hips in a circular motion and wrenching another expletive from Joe. Behind his back he pulled at the handcuffs, wondering if he could break them.

Toning the pace down for the moment, Sasha dismounted him and took a step back, untying the knot on her shirt. She made a show of opening it up, fully revealing her lingerie. As she let the shirt drop to the floor, Joe groaned at the sight before him, certain he was drooling. She looked so damn good, all them curves and him with no brakes. Again he struggled with the handcuffs, wanting nothing more than to put his hands on her body and have his way with her all night long. He watched her turn around, then bend at the waist once more, sliding her hand down her leg to touch her ankle while gifting him with another nice view of that juicy derriere. Her leg was straight, as was her back, the posture perfect and enticing. Fluidly, she dropped back down to the floor, then slid her body forwards a little and got on her knees, keeping them wide apart. Placing her hands on her hips, she popped her butt, twerking her ass cheeks in perfect timing with the beat of the music. She then planted her hands on the floor and bounced her butt, up and down, riding the floor the way she would ride her man. Rolling onto her back, she parted her legs wide and with her feet planted on the floor, she lifted her hips and began to grind upward. She slipped her fingers between her thighs, stroking herself through the thin, dampened fabric of her thong, all the while grinding her hips in the air.

Joe was sure he was about to cry. This was fucking torture. He was painfully hard by now, and he was torn between letting her finish her little show and destroying the cuffs to get at her. He wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting there for or how much longer this song would go on. He just wanted to ravage the shit out of his woman.

Sasha grinned at the look of absolute hunger in her man's eyes. He looked like a caged animal, desperate to attack something, specifically, her. But she was only just beginning. She crawled on her hands and knees towards him, taking her time, arching her back with each move towards him. She slinked up his body, running her hands teasingly along his muscled thighs, and took a seat back on his lap. This time with her back to him and with her knees together, she gyrated on him once more, leaning forwards and bracing her hands on his kneecaps. Joe gritted his teeth at the sight of her back flexing, her bare ass cheeks wreaking havoc on his dick. His head lolled backwards against the chair, certain he was about to come in his pants. "Fuckin' hell, Sasha…" he breathed.

A wide smile spread on her face, thoroughly enjoying his reaction. "Mm, moan my name like that again, Daddy," she purred. Before he could reply, she threw her legs over his own and pushed her ass further into him, rolling and writhing and increasing the friction on his dick, her high heels giving her the leverage and balance she needed.

"Fuck!" Joe spat the word out, his breathing becoming heavier and heavier as Sasha continued to dry-hump him. He couldn't take it anymore and he wouldn't. With all the strength he could muster he stretched the cuffs as hard as he could. The short chain snapped within seconds, freeing his hands. With lightning speed, he wrapped an arm around her waist and yanked her roughly to his chest. It all happened so fast and it caught Sasha completely by surprise. "Baby! No touching," she said, squirming in his arms, but Joe held her tightly.

"It's my birthday, I can do whatever the fuck I want," he snarled, his fingers easily shoving her thong aside to stroke her wetness. She arched her back at the lightning that suddenly shot through her, her body already shuddering as his long, thick fingers plunged in and out of her. Yep, he was in full control now.

"You're soaking wet, baby girl," he murmured, his fingers circling inside her. "You got turned on turning me on, huh? You naughty girl." He smacked the ball of nerves, and Sasha cried out, arching against his hand and her head falling over his shoulder, her hips bucking as he continued his assault on her folds.

"Unlock the cuffs," Joe ordered, watching her remove the ruined items from each of his wrists before he pulled her back to him. His warm tongue met the shell of her ear. "I want my present, _nani_. I wanna eat and finger and fuck your pussy all night long. Will you give me what I want?"

"Yes," she breathed, aching from head to toe with desire as she watched him suck his fingers. "My pussy's all yours, Daddy. Take it."

"With pleasure." As he guided her to sit up on his lap, something on her upper back caught his eye. "What's this?" he asked, pushing her hair to the front and tugging her bra strap down.

Etched on her left shoulder blade, in small, elegant, black cursive text speckled with grey, were the letters _G.I._ He'd memorized every inch of her body and not once had he seen this. His fingers brushed over the tattoo as he stared at it in astonishment. "When did you get this?"

Sasha smiled shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Couple of days ago. It's my little birthday gift to you. The grey coloring matches your eyes," she said. The reveal couldn't have been timed any better. She'd made sure to wear covered up clothing so he wouldn't see it until tonight. Cupping his face gently, she gazed deep into his eyes. "You've always had my back since we first got together, and you know I'll always have yours, and this is kind of a reminder of that." It was her very first tattoo and she was relieved to know he liked it. The look on his face was one she would remember forever.

Joe could honestly say that it was the sexiest thing he had ever seen in his life. And her sweet words hit him right in the heart. "My nickname looks damn good on you." Unhooking her bra, he kissed the branded skin reverently. "Baby girl, I love it. I love you." He was amazed that she would do that. Thrilled. It screamed permanency and commitment to him and he loved the sound of that.

Standing up from the chair, he carried her over to the bed and dropped her on it, then shrugged down his pants and boxers simultaneously. He smiled as her eyes fell down to his dick, hunger flaring in her brown orbs. She didn't need to worry; she was going to get her fill and then some.

"How do you want me, Daddy?" Sasha asked after he'd pulled her thong down her legs. She turned and lifted her butt in the air. "You wanna fuck me in the ass? I know we've never done that before," she said. "Go ahead, baby. It's your birthday. Take me however you want."

Smoothing a large hand over her round, succulent backside, he grabbed hold of her hips and turned her back around to face him. Indeed, they'd never done anal before, but it wasn't something he lost sleep over and neither should she. Climbing on top of her, he seized her lips in a searing kiss. "Thanks for the offer, baby girl. But there's plenty other things Daddy can do to you, and you best believe sweetheart," his voice dropped an octave as he stared at her. "Daddy's gonna fuck you hard tonight."

At the wicked gleam in his eye, Sasha felt her pussy clench involuntarily. "I'm counting on it," she said, right before his lips crashed back to hers. The time for talking was over. His hands and mouth were all over her, the softness of her skin and her moans of pleasure shooting more blood down to his dick. She had teased him so good that the need to take her was all-consuming at this point. Turning her onto her stomach, he kneeled behind her, straddling her thighs, and pushed inside her, moaning at the slippery warmth that welcomed his dick. As promised, he took her hard with deep, commanding strokes, reclaiming the dominance she seduced out of him minutes ago. She moaned and gasped, wrapping the sheets around her fists as he fucked her tight opening with a primal intensity, kneading her plump ass with both hands as he did so. "Fuckin' shit," she groaned, "Oh my god, you fuck me so good, Daddy."

Growling lowly, Joe responded by slapping her ass hard enough to make her cry out. Clamping a hand around the back of her neck, he rammed his dick into her sweet spot over and over, and she ended up biting her lip to keep from screaming down the house. Joe noticed this and grunted angrily, shoving a finger roughly between her lips. "Hell no, doll. You scream for me. Open that pretty mouth of yours and let Daddy hear you."

Her body was his slave, his marionette, and he was the puppet master. Right away, her jaw fell open and she moaned long and loud. It was music to his ears, his dick swelling inside her in reaction. Flattening his large body on top of her own, he swore out loud as the different angle inched him deeper inside her, her walls squeezing his length harder. Jesus, she felt so damn good, so wet and tight. He had to stop for a second, to pause and catch his breath.

"No! Baby don't stop…" Sasha begged, her ragged voice trembling with need, "Don't stop, please. Keep goin'. Fuck me…"

Her throaty plea sent tremors down his spine. A groan tumbled from his lips as he began again, grinding into her persistently, and he leaned down to kiss her neck, breathing in her scent, her skin, the sounds of her moans and gasps washing over him. His hand snuck between her legs, finding her clitoris, furiously taking her to the edge, not letting her even stop to drag in a ragged breath as his thrusts turned harder.

"J-J-J…" Sasha stammered, her tongue too thick and her brain too fuddled to form any more coherent words. He pounded into her, harder and harder, and a final flick of his fingers over her clit finished her off. Shrieking his name into the sheets, she climaxed violently, shaking for a long moment before going slack underneath him. "Fuck." Her mouth hung open, her beautiful face twisted in blissful agony, wondering if the twitching in her body was ever going to stop.

"That's what you get for teasing me," said Joe, brushing his lips over her new tattoo before laying on his back and pulling her on top of him. "Time for round two, baby. Come ride Daddy's dick. And do that squatting thing that I like."

"Anything to please you, Daddy," Sasha breathed. Kicking off her heels, she adjusted to a squatting position and slowly lowered herself onto him, resting her hands on his chest. Her ass slapped against his lap as she worked his dick from head to base with her pussy. Joe licked his lips in approval at the view before him. "I can watch you ride my dick all night, baby girl," he said. Grabbing the tops of her thighs, he sat her down fully on him, impaling her on his shaft, then churned his hips while buried deep inside her. Again, he found her spot nice and sweetly, and Sasha raised her head to the ceiling and let out a guttural shout, certain she was going to pass out from the delicious sensations zinging around her body.

Joe sat up so they were chest to chest and wrapped his arms around her, covering her mouth with his. They stopped moving for a moment to kiss and caress each other, their mouths and bodies melting into one. "I love you so much," Joe whispered against her lips.

"I love you too." Sasha cupped the back of his neck and kissed him profoundly, continuously sweeping and tugging his lips with hers. As his hands slid over her breasts, she resumed rocking against him, his dick sliding deeper inside her with every buck of her hips. As air started to thin out, she tore away from the kiss and pressed her forehead to his, lips parted over his own so he could feel every labored breath. With a soft moan she picked up the pace, rocking back and forth on his dick. The friction was sweaty, slippery, contributing deliciously to the build, and she could sense her body growing hotter and beginning to tremble once again.

Without breaking rhythm, Joe surged forwards and pushed her back down, her head hanging over the edge of the bed. Getting back on his knees, he turned her body sideways, trapping her lower leg between both of his and pushing the other one to the side before burying himself back inside her heat. Slipping into her was a piece of cake now, she was practically leaking. Gleefully he watched her ass cheeks bounce, rippling against his pelvis every time it smacked against her. He pushed her leg further out to the side and kept up his hard, deep thrusting, only pausing to slap her ass and slow-grind her pussy. Overwhelmed by his sheer power and his pulsing heat and the pleasure building inside her, Sasha moaned and shivered as a second orgasm set off within her. A loud groan and curse emitted from Joe as her pussy clamped around his length, but he didn't stop, didn't slow down, clutching handfuls of her backside as he slammed his dick aggressively into her. His thrusts were more erratic, less coordinated, and Sasha's hand crept between their bodies to stroke and squeeze his balls, basking in the sound of his tortured groan when his body tensed up and he exploded deep inside her warm confines, his hips stuttering as he found sweet release.

"Fuck yeah," he growled savagely, finishing off with one more fierce thrust before he stilled. He slipped out of her, then guided her back onto the bed before collapsing next to her on his back. The distinctive smell of sex filled the air. He tugged her hair up until she was face to face with his dick. "Suck my dick, babe. Taste us," he told her, his voice quivering from exertion.

Sasha licked her lips at the sight of his member resting on his thigh, the glossy coat of her release smeared all over it. She leaned over his prone body, and grasping it gently, she lowered her mouth onto it, moaning softly at the unique taste of both him and her. With his dominant urges quelled, Joe looked on adoringly as she cleaned him up, petting and stroking her hair. He loved how she let him take charge when he wanted to. He could be rough at times but she took it like a champ and gave it back to him with equal measure, and he loved her for it. Age had nothing to do with it. He'd never had a lover like her, and he liked to think she'd never had one like him. If he had his way, he would be the last lover she ever had.

When she was done with him, he gathered her up in a spooning position, his fingers skimming over her curves and up her back to trace her new tattoo. He shifted on the bed and felt dampness against his calf. Glancing down, he broke into a cheeky grin. "You soaked the sheets, baby," he said.

"That's your fault for making me so wet," Sasha giggled.

Kissing the newly inked part of her shoulder, he murmured, "Best birthday ever. You were incredible, _nani_."

Sasha steered her head towards him for a kiss. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"The best part is it isn't over yet."

She started to ask what he meant, but stopped when she felt an increasing pressure against her back. She shouldn't have been surprised, but her eyes widened nonetheless. "You don't wanna…rest?"

She didn't know whether to be excited or terrified by the low chuckle that vibrated from her insatiable boyfriend. "Oh Sasha," he laughed, tugging her closer to his body, his length flattened against her backside. "You gave me a lap dance, wore my favorite heels, handcuffed me and got inked for me. It's imperative that I thank you appropriately."

"And I'm guessing you're not done thanking me?" She sensed his wicked smile as he placed a kiss on her shoulder, felt his hand creep down between her legs.

"Let's put it this way, baby girl…" he whispered, enjoying the moan that left her lips as his fingers found their mark once again, "you're gonna lose count of how many times I thank you tonight."

* * *

_***evil grin 2.0***_

_**I swear I'm done now, I promise. :)**_

_**Wasn't just all about the smut in this chapter. For me that was important. So weird seeing this chapter finally up. Hope you review and let me know what you thought about it all. :D**_

_**Song used in this chapter: "Dance For You" by Beyoncé**_


	55. Chapter 55

_**A/N: Would you believe that I intended to have only 50 chapters for ITDE? That was always the plan, 50 chapters plus a possible epilogue. But here we are at chapter 55 and I'm still not done. There's so many ideas swirling around in my head and I've kinda managed to arrange them all and get to a definitive ending, which is soon and will hopefully be satisfying to all. My biggest fear as an author is feeling like I've overstayed my welcome, whether my writing has been entertaining or not. Yeah it's probably paranoia, but it's what it is.**_

_**I loved Payback! Like everyone else I expected the triple powerbomb, but damn if I didn't mark the hell out. You can tell Roman's truly enjoying himself now, at PPVs especially. It's cool to see he's pretty much silenced the haters.**_

_**Thank you to **__ghunter182003__, __LetItReign__, __Lucy1029__, __Shield316__, __BillionDollarPrinceStephanie__, __shamonticupcake__, __ChelleLew__, __corbettluv__, __Siren's Call To The Dead__, __mitchy21__, __CarolReigns__, Sasha, __DeeMarie426__, __darkcloud77__, __Cotton Blossom Diva, ApSnowball__, __justkimmy__, __benova13, CFierce116, fenner82__, __PassionWriter101__, __Bharm__, __princessreigns__, __nikki1335, Tammy, ItReignsJustice-619 __**and**_ _sixxyb __**for all your awesome feedback. Huge thank you to the readers who reviewed for the first time! Welcome on board, I'm very happy to have you and your input is very welcome. :D**_

* * *

Joe was aware his cell phone was vibrating but he was choosing to ignore it. He'd deliberately shut off the ringer last night but in the drowsy state he was in, the vibration sounded as loud as the average ring tone. He and Sasha had stayed up way too late considering he had to be at the airport by noon, but he had no regrets. There was nothing hotter than sizzling, passionate, marathon birthday sex with his game, gorgeous MILF of a girlfriend, and he had a lot of fun turning her out. Now if the phone would stop ringing, he could grab ten more minutes of sleep.

"You should get that," Sasha murmured, rolling onto his chest and sliding one leg over him, assuming her favorite sleeping position.

"How did I know you'd try to smother me with your leg?" Joe griped playfully.

"Mm, don't act like you don't like it," she replied, nuzzling the left side of his neck as she curled further into him, with Joe chuckling at her feline behavior. Right as she finished speaking, the phone stopped, plunging the bedroom into silence once again, and both were grateful for the quiet. His hand glided over the thick, caramel-toned thigh draping his waist. "So last night was fun," he said.

"You mean an hour ago," Sasha deadpanned, as Joe lifted her hand from his shoulder and pressed his mouth to her wrist. "How ya feeling?" he asked.

"Sore. The good kind though." They'd spent the night with him twisting her body into all the yoga positions she'd learned, and her riding and grinding him into the mattress, neither leaving any part of the king sized bed untouched. Her entire body felt used and abused but it wasn't anything she hadn't begged or panted for. She was just glad it was the weekend and she only needed to be up to take Mia to the dance studio, and even then she hoped she'd be able to walk. But it was all worth it, as it always was. Joe was going away for a month, and all she wanted was the soreness to linger, the feeling of him inside her to remain with her the entire time he was gone for. She yawned loudly, unwilling to open her eyes just yet. "You wore me out real good, baby."

Joe looked down tenderly at her fresh-faced, makeup-free features. She looked beautiful in his arms, like she always did, her hair all tousled from sex and slumber, her body soft and warm and glowing. "I can't help it that I can't keep my hands off of you, baby girl. You're fuckin' hot," he said. "No one's ever made me feel as good in bed as you do."

"Really? Not even those young, nubile former flings of yours?" she drawled, lifting her head languidly, locking heavy-lidded eyes with his own.

"Nope," he asserted, his fingertips trailing his name on her shoulder blade. "You don't complain or whine. Even when you let me take control, you tell me how you want it. Some chicks can be too demanding, and others kinda want me to play the guessing game, which is a little annoying. I like that you want to please me as much as I wanna please you. That makes you fun to fuck, my cute little cougar."

Sasha found herself blushing at the ego-enhancing compliment. "Apparently the correct term for me is 'puma', not cougar. I'm not old enough just yet," she said. "But here I was thinking you were too banged up to go all night. I really should stop making that mistake."

Joe snickered and kissed her forehead. "Yeah, you should," he agreed. Sure, he returned home with the usual aches and pains from wrestling all week but as he learned a long time ago, lust and adrenaline were a deadly combination. Add Sasha's soft skin and her irresistible curves into the equation and he never really stood a chance. On the brighter side, he knew he'd definitely given her something to remember him by when he was gone this time.

Sasha's lips met the broad expanse of his chest, adoring the little purr that resounded from within him. It always pleased her to know how much of an effect her touch had on him. "What time's your flight again?" she asked.

"Noon," he replied, idly wrapping a lock of her hair around his finger. "Gotta be out of here to head to the airport by ten."

"Noon? I thought your flight was much later. Mia's got dance class by ten, then I got school at eleven. I wanted to take you myself."

She sounded so genuinely disappointed and forlorn; he thought it was cute. "Don't worry about it. You go about your day. Let me not disrupt it."

"My day's disrupted when you're not around," she replied shyly, letting several seconds of silence tick by. "You know, I've been thinking…"

Joe lifted an eyebrow. "Uh-oh…"

"Joe!" She shot him a warning glare, and he laughed lightly and settled his nose in her hair. "I'm just playin' with you, baby. Now tell me, what've you been thinking about?"

Tracing his chest with her index finger, she continued. "Well, first off, I was thinking…I know I've said in the past that T.K. and Mia are the two most important people in my life and that they always come first," she whispered. "But I thought about it, and I figured I could make room for you too." Her gaze as it flickered back to him was loaded with meaning, and she saw the amazement, and then realization dawn in those breathtaking eyes as they swept over her face.

Joe stared hard at her, swallowing with difficulty as her words sank in, each one lodging itself in his heart. "That…that means the world to me, Sasha." And he meant that. For years she was all about her children, and it was completely understandable that her world revolved around them and them alone. But for her to openly declare that she considered him on par with them, that he was just as important to her as they were…Well, that was an honor in itself. It was lightning in a bottle, and he would catch it, keep it and cherish it forever.

Smiling softly, he brushed his lips against hers, feeling her exhale at the gentle contact. His large hands wandered, from her butt up to her back and neck, holding her to him. Gosh, how hard had he fallen for this woman? Like, it was the splat on the ground, flat on his face, need-a-spatula-to-scrape-him-off-the-ground kind of hard. She'd stumbled into his life and turned everything in it upside down. She was his reality, she was his fantasy, and damn if he wasn't lost in all of it.

Again, that pesky vibrating phone, and somehow it sounded louder than normal. Sighing wearily, his lips parted from hers and he extended an arm to feel around for the device. Holding it in front of him, he squinted. "It's Trin."

"Oh. Tell her I said what's up."

"What does she want?" He personally couldn't care less what his soon-to-be sister in law had to say, not when he had such limited time left to spend with his girlfriend. He would see Trinity at the airport.

"Well, find out. It might be important," Sasha insisted, rolling her eyes at his stubbornness. "You're such a baby. Just pick up the phone." As though to encourage him, she slithered out of his arms, making her way to the other side of the bed. "Okay, distraction's gone. Now answer it."

Joe pouted. "I don't like you anymore."

Sasha laughed. "Oh hush. You know you love me." Grabbing a fistful of the sheets, she took a quick glance at her side of the bed and blinked. It looked as if it had gone through the Civil War. She leaned over the bed and found scraps of her fishnet stockings from last night, her hundred dollar 'tip' from Joe, and then cringed at the number of used condoms littering the floor. She put the money away, then finding a pencil on the nightstand, she picked the other items up carefully and dumped them into the trash next to the bed. "Ugh. We are so nasty," she muttered.

Sniggering quietly, Joe looked away from her and placed his phone against his ear. "'Sup sis."

"I been callin' you all damn morning, Joe! Where the hell are you?"

Whoa. Why did Trinity sound pissed? "You know I'm home. What's up your ass? You and Uce fighting again?"

"Don't tell me you're just waking up. Have you been online?"

"No I haven't been online. Why would I be online?"

"That bitch ex-girlfriend of yours has struck again with the stupid-ass stunt she and her bitch friend pulled!"

Joe sat straight up in bed, all remnants of sleep vanishing. "What? What are you talking about? What stunt?"

"I told you all those years ago; you shoulda let me beat their ass while I had the chance!" Trinity seethed.

"Baby gimme the phone." Joe overheard Jonny say to his fiancée in the background, then his voice was directly over the line, "Yo, Uce."

"What the fuck is going on? What's Trin talking about?" Joe demanded. This sudden news, coupled with the lack of further information, was making him both angry and unnerved.

He heard Jonny's fatigued sigh at the other end. "Remember Missy, Andrea's friend?"

"Sadly, yeah." How could he ever forget that enabling bleached blonde tramp that followed Andrea around like a shadow throughout their relationship? She was also the one who had called him to inform him about the so-called miscarriage. It was never confirmed but there was no doubt in his mind that she'd been in on the whole scam with Andrea. "What about her?"

"Well, she's posted some shit about you on Facebook. Talking about how you treated Andrea like shit and you were responsible for her miscarriage."

"What?" Joe shot out of the bed, forgetting that he was stark naked. "Are you fuckin' kidding me?!"

"I wish I was. Apparently it was posted late last night. It's all over social media now," said Jonny. "She went in, man. She even put up old pictures of you and Andrea together and everything."

Joe blinked several times, feeling completely blindsided. "You can't be serious!"

Sasha was looking at him in concern. "What's wrong?" she asked him.

He couldn't even answer her. He felt sick to his stomach. "You know that's bullshit, Jon. All of it is bullshit. Missy's a fuckin' liar!"

"We all know that, man," said Jonny. "Look, I'm sending you the link right now. I know you don't wanna read it but you might have to. I'm sure Hunter and Stephanie will ask questions."

True. If it was as big as Jonny was making it to be then there was no way the Office would miss it. Of course they would want to know exactly what this was about, see if damage control was needed from their end and how much. Dread filled his guts at having to rehash his personal nightmare to them. Stunned, he sank back down on the bed, brushing a palm over his face. Suddenly he felt exhausted. "I'ma call you back," he said to Jonny.

"Alright. I'll see you later. Quick word of advice though? Stay away from twitter for now. People are writing nasty shit about you, even Sasha. Keep her away from there."

Of course. He knew he hated social media for a reason. Murmuring a goodbye, he hung up the phone and for the first time noticed all the missed calls and texts from family, friends and strange numbers he'd never seen before. He bypassed them all, going straight to the link Jonny had sent him. "Goddamn it."

"What's wrong?" Sasha's brows furrowed when he ignored her, keeping his eyes on his iPhone. "What's going on, baby?"

"Jon says a friend of Andrea's went on social media and put me on blast about Andrea's pregnancy," he answered dully, "That I'm the reason she miscarried."

Sasha's mouth dropped open. "What? Are you serious?"

"Unfortunately." His fingers danced frantically over his phone. "I told you about Missy. Andrea's roommate at Georgia Tech."

"I remember the name. But why would she do that? Why would she even say that when it's not true?"

"Because it's fuckin' Missy," the Samoan snarled. "She was always an attention-seeker just like her friend. Interesting how this happens not too long after Andrea showed her face here."

"You think she had something to do with it?" she asked, noticing he'd gotten very quiet and his attention was fully on his phone. She looked over his shoulder, reading the text he was so immersed in.

…_I consider her to be my best friend and we tell each other everything. It's been years and I've tried to be quiet about it as it ultimately wasn't my business, but after what happened with her recently, I'm done keeping my mouth shut. After all the sacrifices she made for him, packing up from Atlanta and following him to Tampa when he dropped out of college so he could pursue his wrestling career. He'd be in Orlando drinking and pill-popping and partying his ass off while she sat home in Tampa wondering where he was, who he was messing around with. She said he wasn't cheating but I never believed it. I told Andrea to leave him, to walk away, but he had her brainwashed. She was so into him, and what else could I do except be there for her? When she got pregnant I was shocked he didn't demand a paternity test. You'd think he'd at least tone down his partying for her sake. For HIS CHILD'S sake. But nope. He pretty much ignored her through her pregnancy and that stressed her out even more. She worried so much that she became depressed and paranoid. Then she lost their child. She was devastated. What's worse was that she told him about it, and what does he do afterwards? He kicks her out of their house! I couldn't believe my ears when she told me. She moved in with me, and I was the one who helped her pick up the pieces. She never got over what he did to her. Still hasn't. Recently she ran into him and his girlfriend and once again he washed his hands off her. That didn't surprise me. He always treated her like trash when they were dating and it was never going to change. _

_It's about time the fans of Joe or Roman Rains or whatever he calls himself these days, saw through his façade. He's a selfish, self-centered pig that uses people for his own selfish desires until he gets tired of them. Andrea__ was with him through all the hard times, all the way back to when he was a fat college dropout, and now he's walking around acting like his shit don't stink.__ He's a pig and a scumbag and I hope his girlfriend knows he'll do the same thing to her sooner or later…_

Sasha was speechless. Nausea bubbled up within her, and her blood simmered. Joe's angry huff interrupted her reading, and tossing his phone aside, he exploded. "This is bullshit! How fuckin' pathetic is she, writing such crap? Andrea didn't even have a miscarriage! Why would she do this?"

"Obviously for attention. And to punish you for rejecting Andrea." It was the only answer that made sense to Sasha.

"So that's enough reason to drag my name through the mud?"

Sasha tucked her hair back. The carefree, easy-going vibe from earlier had evaporated. "Well, if need be…yes. It gives Missy, and Andrea if she was involved, the fifteen minutes of fame they probably want. People make careers out of stuff like this."

Joe shook his head, his elbows on his knees as he dragged his fingers through his hair. He felt like he was going to throw up. "I cannot believe this."

She could see his hands trembling, literally shaking with anger. She reached out to touch his arm, trying to placate him. "Baby, calm down. We know Missy is lying. Everyone does," she said.

"You know better than to believe that," he retorted, casting her a cynical, almost angry look that wounded the mother of two. "Joe I know you're pissed off, but right now you need to relax."

Shaking his head again, he grabbed his phone and stood up from the bed. "I can't deal with this right now. I gotta go get ready and head to the airport. I'll call the Office on my way." He stalked over to the bathroom, pushing the door open with more force than was necessary. The door slammed shut behind him, leaving Sasha alone in the bedroom. She sat up, crossing her arms over her chest with a resigned sigh, recognizing this for what it was. Literally and figuratively, he was shutting her out. Again.

* * *

The trip to Minneapolis, the city hosting the upcoming pay-per-view, was a blur, with Joe stewing the entire time. Before he left the house he'd gotten a call from Stephanie, requesting a meeting as soon as he finished checking into the hotel the WWE was staying at. Once he did, he was off to the hotel room rented solely for holding meetings with the talent. Hunter had opened the door for him, ushering him inside urgently. Stephanie was present as well, along with a middle-aged woman he recognized as Meghan, the company's spokesperson. The final person in the room was the surprise though, and Joe swallowed at the sight of Vince McMahon himself sitting at the oval desk in the corner of the room. His palms started to sweat. If the Chairman of the Board had personally shown up, then it was serious. And it was. Once everyone was settled, the Samoan went straight to the point, explaining himself to his bosses, starting from beginning to end and hating that he had to do it. It was the most awkward, uncomfortable meeting he'd ever attended. Now he knew how Colby had felt when he'd been summoned to answer for his own scandal.

Vince, Hunter and Stephanie listened attentively, but it was clear they had made a decision long before they called for Joe. They all agreed that although this was mainly a personal matter and his fight to fight, some damage control still had to be done, to prevent any possible corporate backlash. The parts in the Facebook post that mentioned Joe's supposed social habits were a concern, for one. They strongly advised that he issued a statement as soon as possible, and to run it with Meghan before it was published.

When it was all over – thankfully so; he had been slowly melting into a puddle of complete and utter embarrassment – Joe waited for everyone to get to their feet before he asked the question that had been running through his mind since he walked into the hotel room. "So what happens now? TV-wise, I mean." He could see all of his, Jon's and Colby's hard work being flushed down the toilet, all because of a vindictive part of his past. He would never forgive himself if that was the case.

Vince adjusted his expensive silk necktie. "Nothing changes," he decreed. "You three go over Evolution on Sunday, clean sweep. Then the singles pushes start the next night on Raw." He looked his talent in the eye, his expression stern. "Sort this out, Reigns."

"Yes, Sir. Thank you Sir," Joe all but rushed out, choosing to stay back with Meghan so they could send out a statement right away. He was incredibly relieved that nothing more drastic had transpired from this meeting.

Back in his hotel room, the twins, along with his Shield brothers and Claudio, were waiting for him. "How did it go?" Colby asked him, watching his friend grunt in response and flop down onto his bed, throwing an arm over his eyes. The Samoan was feeling battered and bruised and disgusted – with Missy, with Andrea, the gossip-hungry media that had devoured Missy's post and the fans that were now hounding his Twitter. Most importantly, he was disgusted with himself for ever getting involved with Andrea in the first place. She had brought nothing but heartache to his life, and just when he thought she was gone for good, her drama had reared its ugly head again, interfering in his personal and now, professional life. And he couldn't stand it.

"I just wanna know, why now?" Josh asked. "Why did Missy wait this long to do this, huh? Joe broke up with Andrea years ago."

"Well that's easy. He's famous now," Colby answered, rather bitterly, his own brush with scandal fresh in his mind. "The more famous he is, the more attention her Facebook post will get and that's exactly what happened. Andrea probably twisted the story of her showing up at Joe's place and Missy pounced on it."

"Or they both ganged up and made up this story together," Jon Good piped in. "I wouldn't put it past Andrea."

"She better pray she had nothing to do with this," Joe snarled, and everyone instantly looked his way at the sound of his voice. "I told her not once, but twice, that if she ever opened her fuckin' mouth about me I'm taking her ass to court. My lawyer's already working on it and if he proves she is, I'm gonna ruin her, just like she's tried to ruin me. She's spread her lies to the world and now everyone's sitting around judging me."

"We know it's all lies, Joe," said Claudio. "Even though the rest of the world doesn't, your family and your bosses know the truth and that's all that matters."

The others nodded in agreement, and another tired sigh escaped the Samoan's lungs. Sure, Claudio was right, but it didn't make him feel any less shitty about the situation he was in.

The silence that had drifted over the hotel room was permeated by Jon's gruff voice. "So, I guess this makes me the last man standing?" he said.

They all looked at him strangely. "What do you mean?"

The Lunatic Fringe puffed out his chest. "I'm the only scandal-free member of the Shield. Who'da thunk it?" he said, flashing his teeth proudly.

If he was expecting an instant reaction, he didn't get it. Five pairs of eyes simply bored into him like he had lost his mind.

Colby rolled his eyes. "You know what, I'm glad the Shield's breaking up. I won't have to listen to your crap anymore."

"Don't relax, Ambrose. It'll be your turn soon," Jonny said.

Jon grinned. "If that's the case, it better be a sex tape. You know that shit'll make millions."

A mental image popped up collectively in each of the wrestlers' minds, and they all cringed at the thought. Claudio choked on his water. "Dude, no," he wiped his mouth and made a disgusted face.

Joe watched his friends goof around with a small smile. He could sense they were doing it for his benefit, but it was working, as his mood gradually became better.

* * *

Pushing her way into the house, Sasha rolled her eyes as she listened to her best friend ranting on the phone. "Pamela, no."

"I ain't kiddin', babe," Pam was saying. "I can track down both of those bitches and fuck them up! Brandy's got a cousin who just got outta prison, we can send her and her goons if you want. Ain't no way it'll be traced back to you. You just say the word, girl. I'll make the call."

Laughing quietly, the mother of two tossed the keys to Joe's Range Rover on the kitchen counter and then gestured to Mia to go to her room to get changed. Only the day before, the now infamous Facebook post had been published for the world to see, and Sasha was still seething at the lies that had been spewed about Joe. Of course, a bulk of the wrestling fans ate it all up and did not hesitate to go on the attack. Sasha avoided her Instagram page and turned off all the notifications until further notice, but that didn't stop fans from trolling her or her boyfriend. It was infuriating, but she kept her cool and went about her day. She'd already received so much support from friends and family. Patricia, Cassie and Alma were solidly by her side, and that warmed the depths of her heart. "Not gonna happen girl," she said to Pam. "No beating anyone up. And quit cussing around my niece! I don't want her growing up with your potty-ass mouth."

"You're no fun," Pam replied, "I haven't given anyone a beatdown in years. I'm itching to get my hands dirty."

"You're just frustrated because you're not back at work yet." Sasha laughed when she heard a gurgling sound in the background. "See? Nee-Nee doesn't approve of Mommy's violent streak," she pointed out.

"Right, the same baby that pinches my tits when she's eating," Pam laughed. "Seriously though. You okay? With everything that's gone on and all…"

Sasha ripped off a strip of paper towel and blew her runny nose in it. "Surprisingly, I'm calmer than I thought I would be. If this had happened when we first started dating, I'da freaked the fuck out."

"How's he doing?"

Truth be told, she didn't know. She was yet to speak with him since he left the house the day before. She doubted Pam would be happy to hear that, so she kept that little nugget of information to herself. "As good as can be I guess…for someone who was just called an out-of-control, selfish cheating bastard."

"What a bitch."

"You ain't kiddin'. He must have had the meeting with WWE officials by now. I can only wonder what they're gonna say to him; if they'll punish him for this."

"I doubt it. It's not like he broke the WWE's rules. This is just some dumb bitch talkin' shit."

Sasha sighed. This was more than just talking shit. At least, what happened with Colby could be dismissed as carelessness on his part and rash behavior on Lauren's, and it was. This was different. Joe's integrity as a person _and_ as a professional athlete was being questioned, and that was an oftentimes permanent taint to one's name. While Colby had the luxury of covering his ears and waiting for the crap to blow over, it couldn't be the same with Joe. It had to be tough for him, no doubt. Too bad she didn't know what was going on at the moment. "I just wish I could protect him from bullshit like this, you know? All he wants to do is wrestle and perform for the fans. His past is no one's business, and not for the entire world to know."

"Well, that's fame for you. I don't know how you do it. Does it get any easier?"

Sasha thought about it. "Not really. It's nice to see that's he's entertaining so many people and putting smiles on their faces, nice to see how much he loves his fans and vice-versa. The perks and rock star treatment is pretty cool too. It's the invasion of privacy I have an issue with."

"And the fangirls," Pam quipped, laughing.

"And the fangirls," Sasha agreed, "Not to mention the fact that people are out there hatin' and plottin' and schemin', tryin' to bring him down. You'd think people would have better things to do with their lives but I guess not."

"It's just how it is, babe. The only thing you can do is keep on keeping on, and be there for him when he needs you."

She did want to be there for him, but from the looks of things he didn't want the same. A beep from her phone indicated that she had an awaiting call. Glancing at her phone she saw who it was. Speak of the devil. "I gotta go, hun. Joe's calling me."

"Speak of the devil," Pam giggled. "Alright, I'll let you go. Get some rest and treat your cold. And tell big man I said hi and I got his back."

"He knows you do. Give Nee-Nee a kiss from me." She switched the calls and put the phone back to her ear, interested in what he had to say. "Well guess who's callin' me twenty-four hours later."

"Hey." His voice was small and sheepish. Good, let him squirm a little. "You home?" he asked.

"Got in a few minutes ago." Putting the phone on speaker, she walked to the kitchen to boil some water. She was long overdue a hot cup of tea. "You ready to talk to me now instead of shuttin' me out?"

His end of the line crackled with tension, and then he sighed. "Baby…I'm sorry."

"Are you?" Sasha hissed. "You acted like I'm the one who wrote all that stuff." She recalled the events from the morning before; the way he had stomped out of the house without talking to her, and though she understood why, it did not stop her from feeling hurt.

"I know and I'm sorry. I was just so pissed yesterday. I wish I could explain how I feel right now. You wouldn't understand…"

"Of course I understand," she interjected, "I know how it feels to be lied about, Joe. To have your name dragged through the mud by an ex. I told you about how Tyson treated me when he found out I was pregnant. It was my word against his, and because he was more popular than I was in school, I never stood a chance. His word was gospel while I was looked at as the philandering slut and the kids whispered behind my back. So yeah, I do know. Sure, it's not on your scale. My life wasn't being scrutinized under a microscope every day like yours is, but I get it. I wanted to be there for you but you shut me out and that's crap, Joe."

"I know _nani_, I know." Man, he'd never heard her sound this way before. She was angry, but her voice was low and quiet and it was just as effective as when she raised her voice. Maybe scarier, even. "Yesterday was kinda crazy, between this drama and gettin' ready for the pay-per-view tonight…I got swamped. But I should have called you or texted you, just to let you know I'm okay. I do need you and I'm really sorry, baby girl. Forgive me."

Shutting her eyes briefly, she sighed quietly, pushing her anger aside. This was not the time to be antagonizing towards him, especially now that he needed her support. "Okay," she said, and that was that. There was no point dragging the matter. She returned to the dining table with her tea. "How did your meetings go?"

"Better than I expected. I had to put out a statement, but that's about it."

"I saw the statement. It was good," said Sasha, sounding relieved. "Pam didn't think anything severe would happen to you. Glad to know she's right."

"So am I. I talked to my lawyer too," Joe went on, "He can't do anything to Andrea 'cause she wasn't the one that put up that Facebook post. There's no proof she had anything to do with it. He's still digging though, and we're definitely going after Missy."

Sasha nodded, wiping her nose with some tissue. "Good. Let him handle that. You just knuckle down and focus on work."

"You don't sound pissed about any of this," Joe observed.

"What good will getting pissed do? That Missy girl was looking for attention and she's got it. The best strategy is for you to not give her or Andrea any more. You've said your piece, so move on with your life. You don't got time for haters tryin' to bring you down. You got a job to do. And you got friends and family and fans who believe in you and always will."

Joe felt bad for ever underestimating his girlfriend. "I got some making up to do with you, don't I?"

A grin spread across her face in spite of herself. "Yeah, you do."

"Anything in particular you want?"

"Just you, baby. And for you to talk to me. That's all I want. And maybe a hot bowl of chicken soup." She paused as a huge sneeze ripped through her, and sniffling, she reached for her tea. "Ugh."

"You alright? Got a cold?"

She sniffed again. "I think so. I haven't been feeling great the past couple of days. Amber showed up at work with her damn flu and I think I've caught it. It's the last thing I need with these damn aptitude tests coming up."

"Aptitude tests?"

"Uh-huh. School is starting to bust my ass, by the way. I was better off doing this shit when I was younger, because I had nothing else to worry about then, not until I got pregnant anyway. Nowadays my mind is in a hundred different places."

"You'll do fine, babe. Don't worry."

"I'm trying not to. I'm so sorry this happened, baby. I still can't believe all those horrible things Missy said about you."

"It wasn't your fault," Joe assured her. "I should be the one apologizing for the trouble it's causing you. I know people have been buggin' you online and shit."

"Fuck them," Sasha shrugged, her tone dismissive. "Let 'em say what they want. The only people's opinion that matter to me are yours, my kids' and Pam's. I mean that."

"I know," he said, and Sasha could see his smile. "I love you," he said.

Now how could she stay mad? She felt the response to that in the flutter of her heart. "I love you too. You know I always got you," she whispered back. "We'll be watching the pay-per-view tonight. And if you need me, I'm a phone call or a FaceTime call away."

"I know. Get some rest, baby. Don't want you getting sick now."

Sasha giggled. "Too late, but I'll try."

After saying their goodbyes the call ended, and she dropped the phone on the table and nudged it aside. Taking a deep breath, her hands closed over her cup, and she stared mindlessly at brown liquid swirling inside, her mind traveling in a million different directions.

* * *

_**Kindly review! Thank you!**_


	56. Chapter 56

_**A/N: Sorry I'm a little late with the update. I've been working on one or two new stories and trying to put them together but they're not fleshing out as seamlessly as I'd like. I'm thinking I should leave them be and finish ITDE instead. And yes, they're both Roman fics. I've been asked about writing the other Shield boys. I love Dean and Seth, and I've actually done a few fics on Seth, but those two don't really get my creative…ahem…juices flowing the way Roman does. Take that line how you want to… ;) But once I'm satisfied, I'll put up the new stories ASAP. Don't know how long that will take but I'll keep working on them until I feel I'm ready.**_

_**Hugs and kisses to **__darkcloud77, mitchy21, shamonticupcake, ChelleLew, Lucy1029, CarolReigns, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, benova13, nikki1335. ItReignsJustice-619, justkimmy, Siren's Call To The Dead, guest, fenner82, Chermayne, CFierce116, Bharm, DeeMarie426, corbettluv, Shield316, Olivia Reigns, Tammy, JxTina, Pinayprincesa, PassionWriter101, LuxuriaVanitas, princessreigns__** and **__sixxyb __**for the reviews!**_

_**Enjoy 56! And enjoy Elimination Chamber! Why do I predict a heel turn tonight from a certain someone though...**_

* * *

Pressing the green phone button on the iPad screen, Joe burst out laughing at the peculiar image that greeted him. "What the heck is that on your face, little lady?" he asked.

Giggling, Mia pulled down the white face mask that covered her mouth and nose. "Mama's got the flu. She told me to wear it so I won't catch it," she said.

"Good idea," Joe agreed. "How is she? You been a good nurse, taking care of her? Getting her to take her medicine?"

"Yeah," the eight-year-old replied, clearly relishing her new role as her mother's caretaker. It was always the other way around, so she was very happy to give back. "I gave her some chicken soup, then made sure she took her vitamins first. She's sleeping now."

"Very good little lady. I'm really glad you're there with her," he said, noticing the background moving behind her and figured she was walking around.

Mia nodded, then her smile slowly faded. "I watched Raw yesterday. Is Colby really not friends with you anymore?" she asked, tugging the ends of her afro nervously.

After nearly two years together, the Shield had split at the close of Monday Night Raw in very unfriendly circumstances. To say it was a shocker was an understatement and fans were still in an uproar twenty-four hours later. 'Seth Rollins' was currently trending worldwide after he used a chair to bash Roman and Dean's brains in and joined the Authority. Joe was still feeling the effects of the chair shots on his back, but he would live. He was just glad to be part of another unforgettable segment on WWE TV. "No sweetheart. It was all just for television," he assured Mia. "Colby and I are still buddies. But _Seth_ and _Roman_ aren't. Do you get that?" He made sure he explained the difference as he knew for a fact that Mia was very fond of Colby, and would no doubt be heartbroken if she couldn't interact with him anymore because of their 'beef'.

"I get it," Mia said, looking relieved. "You guys did real good though. Does your back hurt bad?"

"It does, but I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Concentrate on taking care of your mom."

"Okay." A huge grin spread across her face as she seemed to remember something. "Guess who's gonna be at the VMAs this summer," she said, her big eyes sparkling happily.

It took a couple of seconds for her words to register, then his jaw dropped. "_What?_ Holy sh-" He quickly caught himself before he could cuss in front of the little girl, and stared at her with wide eyes. "You got the Britney gig?"

Mia nodded enthusiastically. "Uh huh. I got the call yesterday. Me and Regina are dancing for Britney Spears at the VMAs!"

"Wow, little lady! Congratulations! Are you excited?"

"Very. I can't wait. It's gonna be so much fun!"

"Mia Sasha Morgan, keep your voice down!"

Joe smiled warmly as he heard his girlfriend's muffled, grumpy voice in the background. Mia looked over her shoulder, her voice dropping to a whisper when she said, "Sorry, Mama." She returned her gaze to the iPad screen, looking guilty for disturbing her mother. "She's awake."

Joe smiled. "Can I talk to her? Is she up for it?" He watched as Mia walked over to his bed with the iPad. Sasha was in bed with the covers drawn up to her neck and surrounded by rolled up pink balls of tissue. A tray with a cup and a half-eaten bowl of soup was on the nightstand. He heard Mia ask Sasha if she wanted to talk to him. The screen shifted around for a few seconds, then Sasha's tired features appeared. "Hey handsome," she greeted, rubbing her watery eyes. "Didn't know it was you she was talking to."

"Hey beautiful. How are you feeling? I can call back later if you're not up for it," he offered.

She sniffed. "It's okay. I just feel tired is all."

"You sure you shouldn't go see a doctor?"

"No. No doctors," she countered firmly. "I fuckin' hate doctors and hospitals. Besides it's just the flu. They'll make me wait forever only to tell me to drink more fluids when I get home."

"Okay, fine. But promise me if I come home and you're still feeling this way then I'll take you to see a doctor myself."

Sasha waved her hand flippantly. "Yeah, okay. Whatever."

"Someone's cranky," Joe observed with a smirk. "Interesting fashion accessory on Mia, by the way."

The mother of two chuckled, picking up the cup from the nightstand and sipping out of it. "Yeah. I had to make her wear the mask. The last time she caught the flu she was like, five and it was really bad." Putting the cup away, she groaned and sank into the bed. "Ugh. I hate feeling like this. I got tests to study for." She sniffled.

"Forget about that for now, baby. You need to get better first, and you will, soon enough," Joe responded, deciding to move on to happier topics. "I hear the little lady's audition was successful."

His tactic worked, because her entire demeanor brightened instantaneously. "I know, right? It's so surreal. Pam was there when I got the call and we were crying our eyes out 'cause we couldn't believe it. Then we called up Cheryl and we cried some more. Three thousand girls auditioned and only twenty were chosen and our babies were two of them. Mia's wanted something like this for so long…maybe this will be the start of something big for her."

"I hope so too. I know how much she loves to dance," Joe agreed.

"She's been dancing ever since she was strong enough to. I'm so proud of her…" She trailed off as tears started to fill her eyes, and she dabbed the corners with the tissue in her hand.

As heartwarming as the scene was, Joe found himself snickering at his girlfriend. "You're such a mom."

"Well, it so happens that I _am_ a mom," She laughed through her tears, getting herself together. She smiled as she watched him smile. This was nice, the easygoing banter between them. There'd been a great deal of tension between the couple ever since Missy and Andrea unleashed what felt like hell on their lives. "Looks like we got double duty in LA now, with the VMAs and SummerSlam," she continued. "It's in the same week, right?"

"If my calculations are correct, yeah. But there's still a couple of months to go. We'll work it out when that time comes."

"Okay." Sasha adjusted the earpiece in her left ear. "What time is it over there in El Paso? It's about midnight, right?" she asked, noting he was lying down as well.

"A few minutes past midnight," Joe clarified.

"I take it you can't sleep?" said Sasha.

"Not really."

"Wanna talk?"

"Only if you're up for it."

"For you, I can talk. What's up?"

"I just miss you."

Sasha smiled, her finger drawing her boyfriend's mouth through the iPad screen. "I miss you too." However, she could tell it wasn't all he wanted to say. "What else is on your mind, baby? Is it your dad? His hip replacement surgery went well, right?"

Joe pursed his lips, and Sasha saw the emotion clouding his ash-hued eyes. "It did. He's good," he said. "He's recuperating at Alma's. I'll see him when I return to Tampa."

"Okay. So if it's not Sika, what's up? Remember, we're supposed to talk to each other," she pressed.

Sighing, Joe met her eyes through the screen. "I guess I'm just wondering about the direction Creative might take with us," he disclosed. "They've got these big plans for each of us but all of that could change when Bryan and Brock return. Kick us to the curb to make way for them. Like we're nothing."

Sasha was never going to pretend that she completely understood the inner workings of professional wrestling, or fully grasped the demands and expectations of the people that chose this career path. The only thing she knew was to be there for Joe when said career was frustrating him or elating him. Either way, she ensured she showed interest and never made him feel like he was being ignored. She considered his words and took a moment to think about what she was going to say. "You're not nothing," she said, "Maybe they're taking their time with you, building you up slowly. I'm sure they still have those big plans for you, and by the time they feel you're ready, it'll be bigger than anything you've ever done with the Shield. You'll see. The Shield were three of WWE's moneymakers. Surely they'll capitalize on that."

"You make it sound so easy. We made all that money and moved all that merch as a trio, remember? It might be a different story as singles competitors."

"You don't know that. Just because you split don't mean y'all lost your individual appeal. Look, think of it as bread, peanut butter and jelly. Sure, the three of 'em are a classic together, but they're used for other things individually and each of them are just as tasty on their own. There's fans who like bread, there's fans who like jelly, and fans who like peanut butter. It's up to you to play your part and be the best peanut butter you can be and cater to the fans who like you, and hope with your work you can win over the fans that prefer bread or jelly. I guess that's my take on it."

Joe laughed. "I've never thought of it like that. That's an awesome analogy, babe."

"Thanks. I may not know much about the wrestling business, but I do know a thing or two about _business_," she said proudly. Working at the Grill had taught her all she knew. "And hey, I made you laugh. That's good."

"You did. Thanks for that. What about you? Don't tell me you've been in bed all day."

"Relax. I haven't," said Sasha. "A colleague of mine from the Grill came over in the afternoon. She brought along her teenage niece who's pregnant, asked if I could give some advice. I talked with her, did what I could. She seemed terrified at first but I think I was able to calm her down a bit."

Joe noticed the faraway, almost haunted look in her eyes as she talked. "Brought back some memories, huh?" he asked gently.

She nodded. "You could say that. But I'm glad I could be of guidance to someone, just like Pam's mom was to me." She changed positions on the bed, lying on her side. "Any update on the Missy situation?"

And just like that, the Samoan's expression became stony. "Lawyer did his digging and found out Andrea was involved. Phone records and text messages and shit. He's gonna file the papers and in a few days, yours truly will become a plaintiff in a libel and defamation suit."

At the angry glow in his eyes, Sasha bit her lip apprehensively. "I don't like this. And I hate that Andrea rattles you so much."

He wanted to refute that statement, and realized that he couldn't. "I was over her, _nani_, I swear," he sighed, and it was the truth. "I had pushed everything she'd ever done to the back of my mind. And then she did this and it all resurfaced again. It's a hassle, but luckily I don't have to be heavily involved with the lawsuit and it won't screw up my schedule. But all I want is to make her pay. Make them both pay. They can't get away with this and they won't. And when it's all over, she'll be history to me."

Sasha nodded, sensing him – as well as herself – start to get hot. It was wiser to let the topic be put to rest. "Okay. Let's not talk about her anymore."

"Good idea," he agreed, looking closely at her. "I fuckin' miss you, baby girl."

She smiled softly. "Me too. I wish you were here, holding me. This bed's never as warm without you."

"I know. Same here." His smile broadened, his eyes glinting mysteriously. "I jerked off thinkin' 'bout you last night."

Sasha's eyes widened at the unexpected statement. But drawn to the twinkle in his eye and his lazy, easygoing grin as his deep voice dropped another octave, she laughed. "Well, I hope it was good."

"It was awesome, babe. You were sittin' on top of me, those double Ds in my face while you bounced on my dick. And you were wearing those heels again…"

He closed his eyes and let out of soft hiss, causing Sasha to grin. Maybe she could show him what he was missing. "The double Ds miss you too." She lowered the iPad so he could see what she was doing with her hands. She slowly pulled down the zipper of her onesie, exposing her ample cleavage, which pushed out more as she was lying sideways. She watched his gaze drop down to her breasts, noticed his breathing was shallower. "You alright, handsome? You've gone quiet." She smirked, cupping her naked breast.

Joe bit his lip at the image of her fingers brushing over her soft flesh, imagined her touch on his most sensitive skin, and was unable to suppress a moan. "Baby girl, don't be teasing me like that," he whined. "Can't wait to have those titties all to myself for an entire week."

Ah, her insatiable hunk of a boyfriend. "You better pray this cold's gone by then, or I'll be sneezing in your face and my snot will be all up in your perfect hair," she warned, giggling at how quickly his expression melted to a grimace.

"Okay, that's disgusting," he said. "I'll sleep on the couch downstairs if that's the case."

Just as he finished speaking, Mia burst into the bedroom and marched towards the bed. "Okay Mama, time for bed. Say goodnight to Joe."

Joe laughed at Sasha laboring to quickly zip up her onesie, a look of embarrassment on her face. She gave her daughter a petulant glare, then turned back to Joe. "See what I gotta deal with?" she complained.

"She's taking care of you. And you do need your rest," he reasoned.

"Fine. Bed time then." She tapped the screen one last time. "Love you. By the way, tell Nattie to quit slaying me with those catsuits!"

"I will," he replied laughing, just as Mia gently pried the iPad from Sasha's grip. She pulled the covers up to Sasha's neck, then kissed her forehead through the mask she wore. "Love you, Mama. Sleep tight." Keeping Joe logged on, Mia left the bedroom with the iPad, hurrying down the hall and into her own room.

"The coast clear?" asked Joe.

Once the door was safely shut, she said, "Clear. Did you look at the photo I sent you yesterday?"

Joe nodded. "I did. It was very pretty. Do you like that one?"

"Uh huh. I think she'll like it too," said Mia.

"Alright, darlin'. If you see others you think she might like, send them to me, okay?"

"Okay."

"Don't forget what we agreed on. Remember your promise?"

Mia smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Don't tell anyone."

"That's right, little lady. It's our little secret. So we'll keep this between us for now, alright?"

"Pinky swear?" Mia held up her little finger, showing him through the screen. For a second Joe was taken aback, then he smiled, holding up his own little finger for her to see.

"Pinky swear."

* * *

Sasha pushed the plate of grilled chicken away from her, slightly disturbed that she was repulsed by what was normally her favorite food. Sighing, she dropped her fork and settled for sipping her water, resting her head tiredly on the heel of her hand. Sitting beside her at the counter, Pam breastfed Imani, at the same time watching her friend curiously and taking in her reactions and movements. Sasha had shown up at her house a few hours ago and Pam had lost count of how many times Sasha had excused herself to go to the bathroom. On top of that, she'd eaten only a couple of bites of chicken before giving up. Sasha loved chicken, so this was strange. "Thought you said you were feeling better," she said.

"I thought I was," Sasha murmured, putting her water down. "The cold has gone down, but the dizzy spells are worse, and the vomiting too. It's been a week. I don't get it."

Pam studied her closely for a moment. "How long has this been going on for?"

"A couple of weeks, I think. On and off," Sasha said, "I'm guessing it's some sort of bug. Joe's threatened to drag me to the doctor if I'm not better by the time he comes home. Maybe I should just go myself. He don't need to be dealing with me when he should be resting from work."

She trailed off, taking another sip from her water. Pam gently rocked Imani, staring across the table at her best friend. "Sash...have you considered the possibility that you might be pregnant?"

Save for the sounds of an oblivious Imani's enthusiastic suckling, the room was suddenly very quiet. Sasha blinked. "Pregnant?"

The new mother shrugged. "Sounds like pregnancy symptoms to me, girl. When was the last time you had your period?"

Sasha tried to think about it. "I don't know. I haven't tracked it lately. You know it's always been irregular anyway." She shook her head, a chill suddenly shooting through her. "I don't feel like I'm pregnant. I would have known right away if I was, right?" she stammered.

"I guess so," Pam said. "You know your own body, but at the same time it's been a while since your last pregnancy, so you might have forgotten how it feels. I'm not saying it's for sure, but I think it's a high probability."

Sasha leaned back in her chair. How the hell hadn't she thought about that? She was regularly protected during sex, even when Joe was not, but of course she knew that was never a guarantee. Although the prospect of more children was something she still entertained and she'd tried not to give up on the possibility, being faced with the reality was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. If she was pregnant, was she so sure her body could cope for nine months? If it turned out she wasn't pregnant, would she ever be? And where would that leave Joe if the latter was the case? She hadn't even gotten the chance to talk to him some more about their future together.

"Babe…you should take a pregnancy test, just to be sure," Pam advised, glancing down at the baby as she released her nipple.

Sasha nodded numbly, trembling inside. A million different thoughts were running through her mind all at once, each one stacking on top of the other, and fear began to rise inside her, suddenly afraid to find out the truth.

"You look terrified." Pam could always read her like a book. "I thought you'd be happy. You weren't sure you could ever get pregnant again."

Her throat felt clogged. "How are you so sure I am now? What if it's a false alarm?" she managed to say.

"Then it's a false alarm," Pam said simply. "It's either one or the other."

"But Joe…he'll be so disappointed."

Placing Imani on her shoulder, Pam patted her back to burp her. "You told him about your complications a long time ago, girl, yet he still chose to be with you. Has he done or said anything that indicates he's changed his mind since?"

Sasha kept her eyes on the table as she shook her head. It was obvious Pam's words hadn't placated her, so she forged on. "Look, you're right. Let's not jump to conclusions just yet. You said he won't be home until later tomorrow evening, right?" Sasha nodded. "Fine. Go to the store, buy a test and take it in the morning. Forget about what he thinks for now. If you're pregnant, you call him up and tell him. If you're not, you don't gotta say nothin' to him. You move on, go to a doctor and find out what the hell this flu really is. Start with that and then worry about the rest later."

Sasha lifted her eyes from the table. "Okay. I'll pick up a test on my way home."

"Do you need me to come with you?"

"No, it's fine." She stood, unsurprised to find her legs wobbling beneath her.

"Alright babe," said Pam, not taking her eyes off the younger woman. "You know I'm here for you right?"

She was. Always. "I know."

"Good. Call me if you need anything."

From the time she left Pam's house to the time she got home, Sasha was on autopilot. She went to the nearest drug store, purchased a Clearblue pregnancy test, and forced herself to spend the rest of the day like everything was perfectly fine. As soon as she woke up the next morning, she went straight into the bathroom. Every step she took felt like it was never going to end. With shaking hands, she took out the small white stick from its packet. She did what she needed to do and placed the stick on top of the toilet seat. Setting a fifteen-minute timer on her phone, she sat and waited at first, then, agitated, she leapt to her feet, pacing back and forth in the bathroom.

What if the test came back positive? She would be excited. For herself, to know she wasn't as defective as she thought she was. For Joe, that one of his biggest dreams would come true. There was never a doubt that he would be an amazing father. At the same time, she recalled what she went through almost nine years ago, the pain, or what she remembered of it, before she passed out, how fresh and raw and real it was. What if she wasn't pregnant? If so, then she was all but sure that she could never have children again. No matter how many times he said so, was Joe really, truly ready to accept this? Was it bad that she was petrified by either outcome?

Exhaling loudly, she stopped pacing and plopped down on the edge of the Jacuzzi tub, putting her head in her hands. This was going to be the longest fifteen minutes of her life.

* * *

Joe yawned as he dragged his suitcase into the house, thankful for the earlier morning flight he had been upgraded to at the last minute. He would still be in El Paso by now and he was very glad not to be stuck in such an unappealing situation, especially as his phone battery died and he'd foolishly checked in his charger with his luggage. That didn't matter now. He had a week off and he planned on using the time wisely, like visiting his dad and taking care of his girl, among other things.

"_Nani_?" he called out, and was met with silence. Since it was still early she was probably upstairs sleeping, so it was best if he moved around without making any noise. He placed the box of croissants and the jar of honey he'd bought for her tea on the kitchen counter, then picking up his luggage, he climbed tiredly up the stairs to his room. He was surprised to find the bed empty. The toilet door was slightly open. He walked over, pushing the door further open. "Babe? You in here?"

Startled beyond belief, Sasha leapt to her feet, her eyes about to pop out of her sockets. "Joe!" she stuttered, "What…what are you doing back so early?"

Joe noticed the look on her face right away. "I caught an earlier flight. My battery died so I couldn't call you to tell you." He'd seen something on top of the toilet seat, and noticed how she'd swiftly maneuvered herself in front of it. "What's that?" he asked.

"What's what?"

His grey eyes narrowed. "The thing you're obviously hiding behind your back," he insisted, his stare boring a hole through her. "Are you hiding something from me, Sasha?"

"Um…" she started to say, and inwardly she cringed at how shady she sounded. She just hadn't been expecting him to be here at all, and she was completely thrown off.

Joe stared at her, unable to believe that she was trying to lie to him. "Show me," he ordered, his voice deep and menacing.

Shit. She'd lost control of this situation in a matter of seconds. Fighting back tears, Sasha stepped aside, revealing the pregnancy test perched on the closed toilet seat. Joe caught sight of the packet, and then the stick. Sasha heard the breath leave his lungs in realization, the look in his eyes as he gaped at her. He seemed suddenly lost for words, clearly struggling to find something to say. "Are…are you…"

She shook her head, utterly petrified. "I don't know yet." This was not how she'd wanted this to unfold.

"When are you gonna know?" he asked.

"Soon. I've been waiting nearly fifteen minutes-"

She jumped when, as if on cue, the timer alarm buzzed. She threw a panicked glance Joe's way, then blew out a breath. She tapped the phone screen so the alarm shut off. She felt dizzy, her hands were shaking and her heart pounded as she turned around to face the toilet where the little white stick sat, moments away from changing her – and Joe's – life, forever.

She closed her eyes, took another deep breath. Her hands trembled harder as she picked up the pregnancy test and slowly, reluctantly, she opened her eyes, locking on the words that stared back at her.

_Not Pregnant._

* * *

_***exhales***_

_**I once got a review asking why Sasha is more receptive of having a baby with Joe than actually marrying him. My theory is she knows what to expect with giving birth, unlike marriage. Children are pretty much the only thing she's gotten out of past relationships, and to know that this young, hot guy wants much more than just babies with her…well, it is brand new territory to her and she probably still thinks it's too good to be true. Hope that makes sense :)**_

_**Because I may not touch on it again (and 'cause I have nothing better to say, lol), the Britney VMA tribute Mia's taking part in is the one that happened in 2011, if anyone remembers. It was the last VMA I watched, that show's BS now. Anyyyway, Mia's the one on the left in the 'Toxic' section, in case anyone's interested in rewatching it on YouTube.**_

_**Thoughts on this chapter? Please don't beat me up...**_


	57. Chapter 57

_**A/N: Another late update. Sorry. Been focusing on packing up to move out of my place, plus I put out a one-shot called 'Boss Lady', if anyone's interested. Hope you get to read it and let me know your thoughts! :D**_

_**Thank you to **__mitchy21, __Flash96__, darkcloud77, __Pinayprincesa__, Lucy1029, 33, CFierce116, __Bharm__, CrymsonWyldStyle, __BillionDollarPrinceStephanie__, ChelleLew, __princessreigns__, shamonticupcake, __CarolReigns__, benova13, __LetItReign__, mnm, __ItReignsJustice-619__, DeeMarie426, Guest, squawswarpath, __fenner82__, Chermayne, Siren's Call To The Dead, __ApSnowball__, sixxyb, __JxTina__, justkimmy, __vegas angel baby__, nikki1335, __Shield316__** and **__PassionWriter101__** for reviewing. Wow, that's a lot of names…thank you all so much for taking the time to express your thoughts on this story. Very grateful. I'll keep saying that because it's the truth. :)**_

_**Rest in peace, Dream. Legend.**_

* * *

T.K. hitched his duffel bag on his shoulder and let out a deep breath. This was it. This was what he gave up Mason Hill University for. All that was standing in between him and his dream of making it in the WWE was the closed door to a building that looked like an abandoned warehouse. He wanted to ask himself what in the hell he was thinking, giving up college to do this, but the time for questions was long gone, especially now that he was now thousands of miles away from home and in Des Moines, Iowa, home of the fledgling Black &amp; The Brave Wrestling Academy.

It had been a very busy couple of months for the teenager prior to his graduation from high school. As soon as he recovered from his injury, he found odd jobs here and there, working hard to raise money for his near-three thousand dollar tuition for his training while studying for finals at the same time. It was tough, very tough…but he had already made up his mind that this was what he had to do, _needed_ to do. Joe had been kind enough to chip in about half the money for his tuition, and the day after he graduated, T.K. kissed his tearful mother and sister goodbye and embarked on the multiple-hour train ride to the Midwest. He arrived in the early morning, and then found a taxi to take him to his desired destination. And now here he was, two days after leaving home, all alone for the first time in his life, and truthfully, now that it was sinking in, he was petrified.

He'd never been anywhere so quiet. T.K. looked around the parking lot. There were only a couple of cars around. This town simply did not look conducive for wrestling training, or any form of social activity. Every street he'd turned on looked the same. Nearly every road was lined with trees, littered with cattle and sheep, tall grass, and the occasional farm – very different from the life he knew. But that was probably the least of his problems. There was the small matter of not getting his ass handed to him on the first day of training.

Taking another deep breath, T.K. advanced toward the entrance, lugging the carry-on he borrowed from Joe behind him. He was low on sleep but he was wide awake and alert. He just needed to stop his palms from sweating, because he knew he'd have to shake hands with someone and if they sensed he was nervous it could be a minus for him. He wiped his palms absently over his sweatpants and pushed open the front door.

The first thing he saw was the walls in the entranceway, decorated with pictures of Colby and his business partner Marek Brave as young men starting out in the wrestling business. He was amazed by how skinny Colby looked, which honestly by T.K.'s standards was still muscular, but it was nothing compared to what the WWE Superstar looked like now. A little further down the hall were pictures of Colby's individual accomplishments, as ROH champion, NXT champion, and as WWE tag team champion with Joe. It was obvious the Iowa native had come a long way. T.K. dreamed that one day his own pictures would grace these walls when he made it big like Colby. The thought made his stomach flip and eased his nervousness. He could do it. It wasn't going to be easy – it seemed like an unfortunate coincidence that minorities, especially African-Americans, did not often ascend to the very top of the wrestling mountain, meaning he was already on the back foot, so to speak. But T.K was determined. He hadn't survived getting shot for nothing. He would prove everyone wrong, from his deadbeat-ass father to his skeptics. And he would start here.

He walked into a vast plane of grey, from the walls to the floor to the ceiling. Gym equipment was stationed around the warehouse, and there was a gaping empty space in the middle of the room. But there was no wrestling ring. T.K. figured it was situated somewhere else. Three young men who looked about his age sat in a corner, each of their gazes fixed on a laptop the student in the middle was holding. Two girls stretched each other next to the gymnastic rings. It was a relaxed atmosphere at the moment, but it was still early in the morning. Surely the work was about to begin soon.

As he came nearer, everyone stopped to stare at him. T.K.'s status as a star athlete back in high school always made him the center of attention, which he was used to and very much enjoyed, of course. But now, with completely new faces whose gazes were more scrutinizing than admiring, it wasn't as fun. Clearing his throat, he locked eyes with the three boys huddled together. "Hi. I'm T.K. I'm a new student here," he started then stopped, realizing how dumb he must have sounded.

The guy holding the laptop brushed his sandy blond hair and raised a brow. "You're late. Training began yesterday."

He knew that. He hadn't known he would be traveling for nearly two days. "I know. Coming all the way here from Tampa wasn't the easiest," he answered.

The one on the left, a dark-haired kid with way too much gel in his spiked hair, scoffed at what he believed was an excuse. "Well, if you wanna be in this business, that's not gonna cut it," he said snootily. "You arrive late to a show, you get replaced. Like that." He snapped his fingers for emphasis. "You think you can get away with that cuz you're some kinda hot shot? Cuz you know Roman Reigns? Huh?"

At the mention of Joe's name, T.K.'s face fell, his anger starting to flare. The overly gelled kid sneered as he flexed his muscles. "Yeah, we know who you are. We know your mom's dating Roman Reigns and we know you know Seth Rollins. But if you think that's gonna get you preferential treatment around here you got another thing coming."

"My personal life ain't none of your damn business." T.K. said, a tinge of aggression to his voice. "I'm late. I apologize. Y'all ain't gotta be asses about it." He never thought his personal life would have followed him all the way up here, but he guessed it was naïve to think that. Still, bringing up his mother and her relationship was uncalled for and petty in his eyes, which narrowed as he watched all three of them stand up and approach him. They were all taller and bigger than he was. T.K. could sense everyone else in the gym watching with bated breath, no one making a move to stop them. But he didn't need any help. He was from the 'hood; he didn't need wrestling maneuvers to wipe the floor with these jabronis. He'd endured many an ass-whooping from his mother; he could surely tale on these three.

The blond kid came up to him, his friends backing him up. Yeah, what a tough guy. "You think we're asses now, wait until we start training," he said, smirking, "Your new daddy won't be around to help you out when we bust your balls."

"And you better hope _your_ daddies are around to pick you up when I kick all three of you outta this gym and back to whatever hole you crawled out from."

T.K. whirled around at the sound of the familiar voice. A clearly unimpressed Colby was walking towards them, along with another man T.K. identified as Marek Brave, their head trainer. "How 'bout you back off. I won't tell you again," said Marek, glaring at each of them.

Neither student hesitated, taking a step away from T.K. Casting a warning gaze at them, Colby then fixed his brown gaze on T.K. "You're late," he said sternly. "You had the schedule sent to you long beforehand so you have no excuse. It better not happen again."

It wasn't lIke he expected any special treatment from Colby, but to be dressed down like that in front of everyone was slightly humiliating. His eyes fell to the ground. "Never again. I promise," he muttered. What should have been a great first experience made him want to crawl away and hide. There was a lot of attention focused on him now and for the first time in his life, he hated it.

"Good." Colby looked around at the new students. "Everyone, this is T.K. Morgan. He'll be joining you in training to become a professional wrestler. Like the rest of you, T.K. is a student, eager to learn his craft, and I expect you to treat him with respect, just like I expect him to do the same to you. T.K., I see you've already met Patrick and Eric." Colby pointed at each of them, and the sandy-haired jabroni, Patrick, curled his upper lip in response while Eric, the one with too much hair gel, waved sarcastically at him. T.K. scowled, some choice words at the tip of his tongue, but he could only voice them out if he wanted to be formally blacklisted.

"Now that you're fully acquainted, I'm gonna need you three to shake hands."

Marek waved his finger at the three young men, all of whom gaped at him, unsure they heard him right. But the trainer looked serious and so did Colby, both men crossing their arms decisively. "If you can't trust the people standing in this room right now, then there's no one you can trust. Now shake hands," Marek repeated, adding a little more menace to his tone.

T.K. would rather shake hands with an unwashed ape, but Marek had a point. If they were going to be working together they all had to get along without question. Hesitating for a moment, he shook each of their hands quickly and dropped his hand to his side, wishing he could wash off the filth he'd just come in contact with.

Colby nodded, seemingly satisfied with the exchange. "Now that we've got that out of the way, we can get started. Can anyone remember the very first thing we did yesterday?"

For a few moments there was silence. Then, one of the students raised her hand. "We helped set up the ring," she said.

"Correct," said Colby. "We start off this morning the same way. So let's go!" He clapped his hands, and on cue the students jogged over to where the ring equipment lay, with T.K. bringing up the rear. So that explained the empty space. Wow. He'd never set up a wrestling ring before. And since all the other students had been present yesterday, he was already at a disadvantage. He already had some catching up to do and that was not necessarily a good thing.

"Tough start, huh." A female voice came from beside him, causing T.K. to turn his head. He recognized her as one of the girls that had been stretching when he walked into the warehouse. She was tall, about five foot seven, and very attractive, with a light brown skin tone and straight dark hair. Her brown eyes were slanted and her lips were wide, but in an appealing way. "Ignore those three. They think they're back in high school with their silly little clique," she said to him.

T.K. shook his head. "I know right? Sad."

"I think the word you're looking for is pathetic." She held out her hand. "I'm Angelia. Angie for short."

T.K. took the extended hand and shook it gently. "Nice to meet you Angie." Dressed in a sports bra, long tights and sneakers, with a black beanie drawn down over her head, she looked like she had just walked off of a fitness magazine cover. "This your first experience with pro wrestling?" he asked.

"Not exactly. Been at it for about four months," Angie answered, picking up one of the long ring ropes with both hands. "But I'm still not that great, so I decided it was time to find the pros. I actually wanna learn how it's done so when I get out in the ring I don't look like a complete idiot."

"Technically you got more experience than me. I've only ever done amateur wrestling," said T.K. He tried not to look like he was checking her out, but he couldn't help himself. She was very pretty, and there was a bubbliness about her personality that drew him in.

"Oh, so you're just as bad as I am. So we can be like, partners in crime, right?" she asked T.K., and he couldn't help but return her smile.

"You sure you want anything to do with me? Looks like I'm already Public Enemy number one around here," T.K. said, tossing a wary glance at Patrick, Eric and their third friend, all of whom were looking his way.

Angie rolled her eyes. "Who gives a shit what they think? Seth and Marek's opinions are the only ones I care about, so whatever." She handed him the other end of the ring ropes she was holding. "Come on, I'll show you how to connect the ropes to the turnbuckle."

T.K. followed her, smiling behind her back. Even if he'd already made a few foes, it appeared that he had also made a friend. He liked Angie's personality and she had made him feel welcomed. She seemed genuine when she spoke and her smile put him at ease. As much as he felt some attraction to her, he knew his true purpose for being here and only time would tell if she would be a help or a hindrance to his progress at Black &amp; Brave. He hoped it was the former.

* * *

And there it was. Two words, eleven letters. Not pregnant. A myriad of emotions flooded through Sasha as she stared down at the white stick in her hand, none of those thoughts settling long enough for her to determine how she truly felt about this outcome. From being petrified at the thought of a first pregnancy in nearly a decade, to the uncertainty of her body holding up, and then finally, getting her hopes up, rallying herself mentally for something positive, only to see nothing show up on the test.

In the midst of the misery bearing down on her, she sensed an increased tension bearing down on her surroundings as well, and she was reminded that she was not alone. Joe stood behind her, looking over her shoulder. Sasha glanced up to see the look on his face, and what she saw felt like a cheap shot to the stomach. "Jeez Joe, try not to look like I've shot your fuckin' dog," she spat out, the words leaving her mouth before she could stop them.

Joe blinked, taken aback by the barbed statement. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, as Sasha dumped the test and its packet in the trash can by the door, then nudged him out of the way to exit the bathroom.

"Take a look in the mirror," she snapped. "You should see your face and how disappointed you look."

"That's not the point right now," Joe countered. "I just want to know why you felt the need to hide the test from me."

Sasha scoffed in reply. "I wasn't hiding it. I only moved on reflex. I wasn't expecting you to be back so early."

"Bullshit. That's not enough reason. It's like you were hiding it from me. You're the one who keeps saying we should talk to each other, then you go and do something like that."

"Do what exactly, Joe? Call you up and tell you I'm taking a pregnancy test when I don't even know the goddamn results?"

"Were you gonna tell me if you were pregnant?" he asked.

Sasha gaped at him, offended. What kind of question was that? "Of course I was going to tell you. I'd only have kept quiet if I wasn't, because what's the point of saying anything? Of course I would've told you if I was pregnant. Who do you think I am? Andrea?"

Joe's features hardened right away. "Now what does she have to do with anything?"

"Oh, don't act like that ain't what you're thinking," Sasha said, "She hid stuff from you when y'all were together, now _I'm_ doing the same thing, right? That's what you implied when you asked why I'm hidin' shit from you isn't it? It's bad enough that my ovaries might be fucked up, my boyfriend is having flashbacks of his conniving bitch ex. Are you ever gonna get over her? Is she going to hang over our heads for the rest of our relationship?"

"Jesus Sasha, when did I ever say you were her? When did you become so fuckin' good at putting words in my mouth and making assumptions? Haven't you heard the saying that assumptions make an ass out of you and me?"

"Well I'm glad you think this is funny," she snarled. She was picking a fight and she knew it. But for some reason she wasn't willing to stop, not when he was being so insensitive.

"Do I look like I'm laughing? Not once did Andrea come into my mind. You really need to quit jumping to conclusions. Have you even checked a second pregnancy test? For all we know the first one could be a false negative. It don't mean another test will necessarily say the same thing."

"And what if I take another test and it does say the same thing? Huh? Look at how you reacted to this one. Are you telling me you're not disappointed right now? That you're unhappy that I'm not pregnant?" she queried, looking him in the face, silently daring him to lie to her.

The Samoan knew that, and at this point he knew better than to be dishonest about his feelings. "Yes…yes, I am a little disappointed," he admitted, his voice shaking with barely controlled emotion. "But it's not like that."

"It's _exactly_ like that, Joe," she contradicted brusquely. "I know what you're thinking without saying a word. Your face always gives you away. Is that what you plan on doing every time I come up with a negative? Are you gonna look at me like that again, like I destroyed your hopes and dreams? This is my reality Joe, and I told you all about it, told you about what the doctor told me after I had Mia and everything. It's highly likely that I may never have children again. Can you look me in the eye and tell me you accept this reality?"

Joe stared at his girlfriend, and then shook his head sadly. "After all this time, Sasha. After all this time together, after everything we've been through, you still don't believe in my love for you. I moved you in with me, you and the kids; I've told you I want a life with you, and that's still not enough to convince you?"

A lump grew in her throat, and Sasha wasn't sure she could speak again without bursting into tears. "People have moved out before. Something happens that ruins the relationship so bad it's irretrievable and one of them has to go. That right there-" she stabbed a finger at the trash can in the bathroom, "-might be our own personal 'irretrievable'. No matter how certain you are that it won't, that _could_ get in the way one day and you know it."

"Wow, you sound so sure about that." His expression was tight with growing fury.

"Why do you want kids so bad anyway?" she blurted out. "Huh? Men your age are running scared at the mere thought of kids."

At this point, Joe was ready to rip his own hair out from the roots. "There you go again with that bullshit!" he said angrily, "So eager to lump me up with 'other men' and 'men my age' and everyone who's ever fuckin' hurt you in your past! For fuck's sake! I ain't Tyson! I ain't Mia's drug-pushin' dad neither! Quit treating me like I am and listen to me!"

How nice it was to be reminded of her questionable taste in men. "Why are you putting yourself through this with me?" Sasha demanded. "It's obvious I can't cut it, I can't give you what you want. I'm too fuckin' old, my body's obviously damaged. I'm holding you back from the opportunity to have a family of your own. You oughta be with someone who won't have these unnecessary complications. You've always wanted a child, your own child, and it's pretty much confirmed I can't have any more. It's not like I didn't warn you that this could happen. Well it's happened. I'm not pregnant. I probably never will be again." He hadn't seen what she saw in his eyes after he read that pregnancy test. The disappointment, the devastation, like someone had ripped the rug from underneath him again. To know she was the one that did that to him this time, killed her, because she loved him so much.

Joe stood there in disbelief, shaking his head. Enough was enough. "I know what this is all about. You're finding excuses to break up with me. You've been doing this for a while now. I thought I was insecure, but you, _baby girl_," he pointed a trembling finger at her, his laughter dull and empty, "You take the fuckin' cake. All these months I've been trying to convince you that I want you, that I'll never leave you, but instead you're the one who wants to leave me. That has to be what this is all about. Tell me, Sasha. Have you been looking for a way out all this time?" He stepped up to her, looming over her. Sasha did not budge, but she looked stunned, her expression as though she could not believe what he was accusing her of. But he was long past caring because he was sick of her shit. His face was flushed with emotion. "You get so damn defensive over _everything_! Something doesn't go your way and all of a sudden your guard is up, you put up all these fuckin' walls that don't need to be there! How many times do you expect me to break them down? I don't lift weights just so I can carry your damn baggage, you know!"

Sasha's throat was as dry as dust, his words cutting right through her insides like a pair of scissors to paper. "I don't feel like talking anymore," she whispered, her voice cold and distant. She couldn't believe how insensitive he was being. She was the one with the broken body, not him.

Joe sighed, wondering how this conversation had spiraled so out of control. All he'd wanted was to come home and be with her, only for this to happen. "Sasha..."

"I need to be alone."

"Sasha, you're being ridiculous. Come here," he said, stunned as she started to walk away from him. He lunged for her, grabbing her arm. "Sasha-"

"Don't touch me! Just leave me alone!" She yanked her arm out of his grip, and Joe's features sagged in shock. Then, in the same, swift instant, they hardened again, twisting with fury. "Fine! Let's not talk then!" he roared, "You want me to leave you alone? I'll leave you alone! I'll give you all the fuckin' space you want, starting now!" He picked up his carry-on luggage and headed for the door.

Sasha's insides twisted hard. Her heart rate began to accelerate. "Where are you going?" she asked, her voice quavering.

Joe stopped at the door and abruptly turned around, staring at her without sympathy or pity. "Figure it out for yourself, Einstein," he retorted, ignoring the way she flinched at his punitive, callous tone as he threw her own line back at her.

"Joe…" Sasha called out to him, but he'd already slammed the door behind him, leaving her alone in the bedroom just like she'd not-so-nicely asked him to. Desolate, frustrated and heartbroken, she could do nothing but slump down onto the edge of the bed, cover her eyes with her hands and cry.

* * *

Joe drove his Range Rover down the road, staring blankly out ahead of him. It was still morning but a chilly wind blew down the wide street, seeping into the vehicle as it stayed out longer. But he couldn't feel the chill. All he felt was anger, hot fury boiling in his veins that he knew an hour's drive would not be sufficient to simmer it down.

He veered to the left and continued towards a deserted bridge, neither knowing nor caring where he was headed at the moment. His thoughts were rattling around in his skull like dice hard enough to invoke dizziness, until they split his head open from the inside, spilling his anger and doubts and fears onto the ground beneath him.

He could still see Sasha's face in his mind's eye, her reaction as the results of the pregnancy test sank in. Of course he was disappointed. He wanted nothing more than to start a family with her, to become husband and wife one day. He also knew she was hurt by the results of that test and he was more than willing to shove aside his own disappointment to comfort her. But she underestimated him, wrote him off not for the first time. What else did he need to do to prove he was not going anywhere no matter what? What did he have to do to fully gain her trust, to give herself to him fully and completely? Was he ever going to be good enough for her?

For the first time since they became official, he didn't think so.

He was across the bridge now, with the river streaming along below him. He ground to a halt at the side of the vehicle-friendly bridge, dragging himself out of the SUV and grabbing the stone guardrail with both hands. He took a deep breath, listening to the splash of water beneath him. This was not the way he wanted to spend his week off. He did not expect to get into a huge fight with his girlfriend that resulted in him storming out of his house. It brought back many unpleasant memories he wished could go away. He'd seen her eyes water, he'd heard her sob as he left her alone in the room they shared. Usually the sight of a single tear from her eye was enough to melt him into submission to her. But this time…nothing. He'd been too angry, too emotional – they'd both been – and even now, he wasn't sure going back to her was a good idea. And at this point in time, he did not want to.

An eternity seemed to pass before he straightened up again and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Incredibly, he had broken out in a light sweat despite the chill. The adrenaline within him was finally subsiding. With the same arm he'd wiped his face with, which suddenly felt numb and lifeless despite its movement, the Samoan dug deep into his jeans pocket, his whole body tensing when his fingers closed around a small square object.

He pulled his hand out and held it up toward his face, examining the black velvet box in his grasp. He couldn't bring himself to open it. At this rate, he wondered if even _this_ was going to be enough for her, enough to finally convince her that he wanted forever and a day with her. But he recalled – with his heart dropping at the memory – that the mere mention of marriage had spooked her. He didn't know what to do. He was running out of options and admittedly, out of patience, and he wondered if there was any point reaching back down into the well within him to find more...if there was any left at all.

With an angry snarl, Joe squeezed the velvet box in a fist, drawing back his arm in preparation to chuck it into the river. But before he could finish off the motion, for some unearthly reason, he stopped. His arm trembled for a few agonizing seconds, then slumped back down, the arm hanging limply at his side. The Samoan's carved features creased in agony, and he bowed his head, his chest heaving painfully with every breath he took.

Shaking away his desolation – he had to if he was going to drive for an hour safely – he shoved the small box back into his pocket, then climbed back into the car and set off towards Alma's house, his intended destination. Towards his father who needed him. Since the woman he loved so much had just made it glaringly obvious that she did not.

* * *

_**This update took ages to write though. And I was very nervous posting it too, lol. It was kinda difficult to write but I hope I did it justice.**_

_**I know you guys must be frustrated with Jasha, and perhaps rightly so. But no relationship is ever easy, is it? Especially theirs, which is frankly, still so new. They still have a lot to work on with each other. Will they get the chance to?**_

_**For anyone who can't recall the details of Sasha's situation, I revert you back to chapter 31.**_

_**Kindly review! And also, check out the correlating ITDE story album on my profile page. Been updating it regularly in correspondence with the chapters. Hope you like it! :D**_

_**Buckle up, guys. ;)**_


	58. Chapter 58

_**A/N: Writer's block is such a bitch. Ugh! Have you ever opened up your laptop and just stared at a blank MS Word page nonstop? That was me these past few weeks. Plus I've been so busy with moving and I'm not even done. You don't know how glad I am that I pulled through with this update.**_

_**Can I admit that I teared up reading all your comments about Jasha? I'm sorry I made a lot of you sad and frustrated. :( I'm so thankful for all the feedback though, so much so that I actually ended up using some of them in this update because I thought they were perfect. So thanks a lot, guys! :D**_

_**Been watching Tough Enough. Gabi's comment about Roman making her wet though…join the line, hun! Lol.**_

_**Big mwahs to **__Countryliving Girl, Bharm, corbettluv, LetItReign, darkcloud77, shamonticupcake, mitchy21, 33, Tammy, PassionWriter101, sixxyb, Siren's Call To The Dead, nikki1335, Shield316, Guest, princesspeace990, CFierce116, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, DeeMarie426, justkimmy, Chermayne, ItReignsJustice-619, benova13, vegas angel baby, JxTina, Lbechter3, jade, princessreigns, LuxuriaVanitas, IRENELOVE83 __**and**__ Olivia Reigns__** for reviewing!**_

_Girl, I never thought that lovin' you would hurt  
(I did everything a good man would to make it work)  
Girl, you should have told me you had second thoughts  
(Like before I put the down on the house we bought)_

_Now I'm thinkin' you and me was a mistake  
(But then it hits me and I'm missin' all the love we made)  
Girl, I know that we've been goin' through some things, yeah  
(But the sun is always shinin' even when it rains)_

* * *

"…Yeah, it's gonna be fun. Bring your family, bring your friends…it'll be great cuz you never know what to expect in a live WWE show…alright, good…thanks buddy, appreciate it. Take care."

Patricia walked into Alma's living room, listening to Joe rounding up his phone interview. She didn't need to see his face to know the perkiness in his voice was fabricated, like he was doing something he didn't really want to do. The tired sigh he breathed out as he dropped his phone on the glass table in front of him and covered his eyes confirmed what she already knew. Her son was miserable, and he'd been this way for the past three days. He hadn't told her anything, and at first she thought it was due to the whole Missy-Andrea crap going on, but she soon deduced that there were now problems between him and Sasha. From the abrupt changes of subject whenever she was brought up, to his constantly running to Alma's house under the guise of visiting his father, and his reluctance to return home afterwards. She thought about leaving him alone to work it out for himself but evidently he wasn't doing too well, so it was time for Mama to come to his rescue.

She took a seat next to him on the couch, returning the smile he gave her when he looked up. A smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You know, countless number of days on the road," she began, choosing to speak in her husband's native Samoan language. For some unexplained reason, the family as a whole communicated better and more freely when they were not speaking English. "All the non-stop traveling and being gone from home for so long, the court proceedings going on…you think you'd wanna be home, spending time with your girlfriend."

Joe avoided his mother's inquisitive gaze and did his best not to sigh out loud. She'd been giving him that look for days now, and so far he'd ignored her. He wasn't in the mood to be lectured; he sure as hell didn't want to hear her say she told him so. "What? I can't spend time with my parents and my sister and nephews?" he asked, addressing his mother in Samoan as well.

"Come on Leati. We both know this has nothing to do with any of us," Patricia answered calmly. "Not Alma, not Matai or Jake or their dad. This is about Sasha and whatever's going on between you two. You're avoiding her, which is very strange, because you _always_ want to be with her. You're always talking about her. And now all of a sudden, silence. Not a single word. And me or Alma gotta physically push you outta this house every day so you can go home. It's weird. It's obvious that something's up. So come on, tell your Mama what's going on."

"And your Daddy too." Both Patricia and Joe turned in their seats to see Sika hobbling into the living room on his new cane. Joe jumped up and quickly walked over to him. "Dad! You should be in bed," he scolded.

Sika snorted, shrugging away Joe's attempts to assist him. "If I spend one more minute in that bed I'll tear out my own hair and eat it," he answered shortly, brushing past his youngest son to settle down in the recliner next to his wife. "Besides, I've been meaning to talk to you. And since your mother's brought it up, now's as good a time as any. Now you know I don't mind spending quality time with my kids and grandkids and all, especially you since you're so busy these days. I may be an old man but even I know when I'm being used as a distraction. So how about you do as your mother says and tell us what's going on with you and Sasha. Did you two get in a fight?"

Joe returned to his place on the couch, clasping his hands together in his lap and keeping his eyes lowered, feeling both his parents' gazes on him. Now that they had goaded him into it, he knew they wouldn't budge until he talked about it and got it all out of his system. Taking his time, he told them about the incident with Sasha earlier in the week, from the results of the pregnancy test to her reaction and their fight, laying it all out on the table. As always, they listened to him without saying a word, allowing him to vent. He'd hoped he would feel somewhat better by the time he finished but was not surprised when he did not. The heated words he and Sasha had exchanged buzzed around in his head for the last few days, leaving him wondering what had gone wrong between them. He'd thought they were stronger than this. He'd thought they were on the same page, that they'd successfully tackled their problems and smoothed out the creases. Clearly he was wrong. It was bad enough that his manipulative ex-girlfriend was forcing him to defend his reputation. His current relationship was now on the rocks and it was more than he could handle.

"Do you think she feels pressured into having another baby?" Patricia asked. In her opinion, that was the root of where the couple's problems lay. "Are you sure you never made her feel that way?"

"I'm hundred percent positive," Joe answered adamantly. "I would never pressure her. I knew a long time ago about her past complications and I knew the chances were slim. Yes I hoped she was pregnant, by some miracle, and yes, I was disappointed by the result, and so was she. But she lashed out at me instead of letting me comfort her. She was so sure I wanted nothing to do with her all because of what some damn white stick said. When is she gonna realize that it's not just about that for me, that I actually wanna be with _her_?" he ranted. "It's like she doesn't even want to accept my feelings for her and honestly, it pisses me off." Exhaling heavily, he shook his head, his voice softer when he spoke again. "There's only so much rejection I can take, because that's exactly what she's doing. Rejecting me."

Sika and Patricia exchanged sad looks, and the Anoa'i matriarch was first to address her son. "Look, sweetheart..." she said, maintaining a calm, placating tone. "For all the doubts and fears that I've had about Sasha in the past, she's proved me wrong. She is a good woman to you and she's a great mother to Mia and Tyson. I never imagined _you'd_ ever be with a single mother, but it's worked for you. She's calmed you down so much. You're happier and obviously in love. The cynical Mama Bear in me wants to say that Sasha's playing with your emotions. But I don't think that's the case. She loves you. It's so obvious that she does, to the point that she's frustrated that she can't give you what she feels you want."

"But I told her a long time ago that we'll work it out. That we'd find other ways to have kids. But she obviously doesn't believe me since she acted the way she did. It's been more than a year since Sasha became my girlfriend and she still doesn't trust me." He dropped his head in despair, willing away the emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. "I bought a ring, Ma. I was going to ask her to marry me this week, but I still don't know if the woman I wanna make my wife trusts me. How am I supposed to deal with that?"

"You know, it took your mother a long time to fully trust me too," said Sika.

Joe looked at him, then at Patricia, who blushed timidly at her husband's words. "Really?" he asked. It was the first time he was hearing of this.

"Uh huh. We were together about four years before she finally let go of everything that was holding her back to be with me. Ain't that right, darling?"

He stared affectionately at his wife, placing a hand on her thigh as Patricia nodded, her bashful smile dissipating as she reminisced. "He's right," she replied, "The crazy thing is I cannot for the life of me remember why I was so hesitant to date him. He was a great guy – you still are, darling – but something just kept holding me back. I guess doubt, fear, uncertainty...that a relationship like ours, that love like his, was too good to be true. As you can see I got over it. It's been damn near half a century since then, with no regrets whatsoever."

"Sometimes I wondered if it was ever going to happen between us," said Sika. "I knew she loved me very much, but women, well..." He shrugged. "I guess a lot of them feel the way she did – that what they have with us good men _is_ too good to be true. So they try to push us away regardless."

Joe understood what his parents were trying to say. But he had to ask this. "But how much longer will you be pushed for before you get tired of being pushed? A man can only take so much, Dad."

Sika nodded sympathetically. "I know, son. But when you're in love, it don't matter how hard she pushes. You gotta keep holding on until she finally comes to her senses and she realizes you ain't goin nowhere."

Patricia observed her youngest child, noting the resignation and defeat in his features. "Honey, I know your mind's in a hundred different places right now, both you and Sasha," she said softly, brushing his hair back. "This is a combination of a lot of things. You're both still reeling from this thing with Missy and Andrea. You both got unresolved trust issues. Remember it was years before you dated again. Sasha is the only woman you've felt this strongly for and it's the exact same thing for her. She's just finding it more difficult to do away with her insecurities than you are. I know what that feels like."

"We do know how you feel about wanting your own family though," Sika added, looking his son square in the eye. "Now that you're fully aware that a biological child may not be possible, do you love her enough to stick around? That sounds harsh, but it's your reality right now. I think you need to think hard about it and analyze the scenario for yourself."

His first thought, as it always was, was absolutely, he would stay. His relationship with Sasha was nothing short of an enriching, life-changing experience. He'd learned so much from her about life, about love and even about himself, and he wouldn't trade any of it for the world. Alma had once asked him if he was okay with raising children that weren't his own. Truth be told, he was. Because he loved Sasha and by extension, loved her children. "My heart beats for her, Dad," he confessed solemnly, looking at his parents. "When it comes down to it she's the one I want no matter what. I love her so much. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. Any other thing we experience together is a bonus for me."

Patricia and Sika smiled. They had both expected that answer. "Okay. So that's settled," said Patricia. "Now, I would suggest you go home to her. She's still hurting over the pregnancy result, and you're hurting too. What she needs – what you both need – is each other's support. As difficult as it is talking to her right now, being here with us isn't gonna work out your problems."

Joe winced a little. He and Sasha had barely said a word to each other in days. Breaking the tension would not come easy and honestly, he was not ready to confront it just yet. "I hear you," was his only response to his parents.

"You say you love her, so you gotta be a little more patient. You're both afraid. You've both been hurt in the past and those scars are still affecting your relationship. You gotta let it go. It's the only way you can ever fully embrace your relationship," Patricia said, rubbing Joe's arm. "Like we tell you every time, all your father and I want is for you to be happy. Sasha makes you happy, so we really hope you two work it out. You always have."

Yeah. They did. Back in the past. Joe only wished it were that simple this time around. He looked up as his parents stood up. Patricia kissed his cheek and left. Sika followed suit, patting Joe's shoulder encouragingly as he passed by. "It's only been eighteen months, son," he said. "You two are just getting started. So buckle up and enjoy the ride."

* * *

_I know I left too much mess and  
destruction to come back again  
And I caused nothing but trouble  
I understand if you can't talk to me again  
And if you live by the rules of "it's over"  
then I'm sure that that makes sense_

Taking her eyes away from Pam's laptop, Sasha smiled at Imani in her baby seat, shaking a pink rattle in her tiny fist, the four-month-old cooing and giggling. Playing with toys was easier for her now, as she had reached the age where she could grab things with both hands and hold on to them. The rattle had become her favorite toy, delighting in the sound it always made when she shook it. It kept the baby occupied while Pam could do other things, and doting on her kept Sasha's mind off of the ongoing crisis in her relationship.

Since her and Joe's blowup four days ago, tensions were at an all-time high. You could count on one hand the combined number of words exchanged between the couple. Both were fed up with each other's attitude and were too stubborn to break the ice. Both would lie in bed at the very opposite ends, keeping their distance. Joe would pretend to be asleep while he listened to Sasha move around the bedroom as she got ready for work. Sasha would lie in bed with her back turned as Joe came back from another long trip to Alma's house or wherever else he was coming from. Sleep didn't come so easily anymore, and she would lie awake in the dark thinking about how everything was falling apart, wondering how much more of this either of them could take. Yes, she took part of the blame for this mess between them but only part of it. This wasn't _all_ her doing, surely not. It wasn't all her fault and she was standing by that, and if she told herself that long enough, she would believe it. For now she would continue to pretend that the cold silence between her and her boyfriend was not unbearable.

She wished she could explain why she felt and acted the way she did. She had a man that treated her like she was the important person in his life. Joe was the first guy in the longest time that made her feel special, feel truly loved. Yet for some reason she hadn't fully embraced it. Instead, unbeknownst to her, she grew more paranoid, waiting for the bubble of bliss that always burst in her face when she least expected it. The paranoia had come to light with Andrea's return, and then it completely unraveled with the negative pregnancy test. Two days after the first test, she tried a second one and it came up negative once again, which put an even bigger dampener on her spirits. The one affirmative she took from this situation was her decision to go and get checked out by a professional. She had to find out what exactly was wrong with her body. It was a long time since she last gave birth; things could be either better – or worse – for her. But she needed to know once and for all and stop living in this uncertainty. She thought about asking Joe to come with her, but with the way things were with them right now, that looked out of the question. It looked more and more definite that there was no coming back from this breakdown of their relationship, not this time.

So here she was, staring at Tampa homes for rent online, because the paranoia had taken over again. In her mind's eye, it was only a matter of time before Joe decided he didn't want her in his home anymore, and where would that leave her or Mia? It was a stupid thought and it was only stoking the fire, she knew that. Didn't stop her from thinking it though.

The faint tapping of footsteps grew louder as Pam walked into the living room holding Imani's sippy cup, and Sasha noticed the scowl on her fellow mother's tired features. The scowl had become prevalent lately, but Sasha was too wrapped up in her own drama to dig in and investigate what was up with her best friend.

Pam walked up behind her, peering over her shoulder at the laptop. "What's this?" She tipped the lid of the laptop back for a closer look. "You looking at apartments? What for?"

A second or two of awkward silence ticked by as Sasha averted her eyes. Pam glared down at the other woman. "Lookin' to move out then? You wanna walk out on Joe? Why is it that every time y'all fight you wanna bail out?"

Sasha cringed at the look on anger on Pam's face. Seriously, what was up with her? "I didn't say that," she snapped.

Pam started to say more, then stopped abruptly, raising a hand and shaking her head. "You know what? I don't even wanna know. I don't got no time for your bullshit no more. If you wanna break up with Joe, go right ahead. Just leave me the fuck out of it. I got bigger things to worry about than your petty-ass drama."

Sasha gaped at her, taken aback by her reaction. "Now I know you ain't talkin' to me like that-"

"You damn right I'm talkin' to you like that!" Pam cut her off brusquely. "Get over yourself Sasha! What the fuck? This is a guy that's gone to bat for you over and over again! A guy that defended you from his own parents! A guy that could've cheated on you a thousand times over! He loves your kids! He moved all three of y'all into his fuckin' home! What excuse do you got, huh? What you got for shittin' all over the best relationship you've ever had? You obviously have no clue what you have but if you wanna fuck it all up, be my fuckin' guest. Just don't come cryin' to me when it happens!"

She slammed the sippy cup on the table, and Imani, startled by the loud sharp sound, burst into tears. Sasha was more shocked when Pam marched off without so much as a second glance at the wailing infant. Staring after her friend in complete bewilderment, she picked up Imani and bounced her on her shoulder, stroking her tiny back. "It's okay, baby. It's okay," she whispered soothingly in the baby's ear, "Mama didn't mean to scare you. Shhh, it's okay." She glanced in the direction Pam had stormed off with narrowed eyes. Something was wrong and she was determined to find out.

After calming down Imani, Sasha traced Pam's footsteps to the den, mincing her words to keep from cussing in front of the baby. "Okay, I don't know what's crawled up your ass and died but it don't give you the right to talk to me like that-"

She stopped in her tracks as she found Pam slumped in one of the loveseats, her shoulders shaking, and Sasha realized that she was crying. The discovery sparked a wave of worry within her. "Pamela?" she questioned, her voice softer as her ire vanished. Cradling Imani carefully in one arm, she settled down beside Pam. "What's going on? What's the tears for?" she asked, gently rubbing her back with her free arm. "Babe, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

Pam shook her head, tears streaming down her face at an alarming speed. "I can't even bring myself to say it…I'm barely coming to terms with it as it is."

At those words, Sasha felt something inside her plunge like a stone. This sounded serious, more serious than she'd ever heard Pam sound, and the mother of two was suddenly trying to steady the panic bubbling within her. But for her friend's sake, she kept the emotions at bay. "Hey. Tell me," she urged gently.

Pam sniffed, wiped her eyes, and took a deep breath. "About a week after WrestleMania, Gin went to get a check-up. He hadn't been feeling good for a while, to the point that he was complaining. So I suggested he go to the doctor for blood tests, the full body exam, the whole nine yards, just to be safe. The results came back and he tested positive for blood in his fecal test. So yesterday we went back in for a diagnosis. And…and…"

She trailed off, swallowing hard, and then, she uttered four words that Sasha would remember as long as she lived:

"Elgin has colon cancer."

If she didn't have such a strong grip on Imani already, Sasha would have dropped her. What? Cancer? Elgin? She gaped at Pam in shock, struck with the horrible realization that this wasn't some sort of sick joke. "Oh my god, Pam…"

"When he wasn't feeling well we just thought it was stress." Pam's voice was shaky, laden with what sounded spookily like guilt. "His grandmother died of colon cancer about ten years ago. We didn't realize the connection. Maybe if we did he'd have gotten tested much earlier."

Sasha felt sick, along with a cold, sweeping sense of déjà vu. Not again. Pam couldn't possibly go through this again and survive. First her mother, now her husband. How cruel and callous could life be? "Jesus Pam, why didn't you tell me about any of this?"

"Like I told you, I'm barely coming to terms with it myself," she answered, pushing her hair back with both hands as she looked up at the ceiling, blinking away tears that had been flowing for what felt like days now. "I feel like I'm in a nightmare and all I wanna do is wake up."

Sasha wished the same for her. She herself still couldn't believe it. "What did the doctors say? How advanced is it?"

"Stage two. Doctor said it doesn't look good but it could have been much worse if we'd waited longer. He goes in for surgery the day after tomorrow. He's at his parents' right now to give them the news. I wanted to go with him but he insisted on doing it on his own." Pam covered her eyes and sobbed. "He's only thirty-eight years old Sasha! He can't die! He has a family and a daughter that he wants to see grow up and graduate high school and college and get married. There is still so much he has to do with his life."

"He's not gonna die. Stop thinking like that."

"Why can't cancer just leave me and my family the hell alone? It took my mama and now it's coming for my husband. I've checked out clean so far but I could still be next…I got a family history after all."

"Don't say that. You're gonna be fine." Sasha felt like the biggest, most selfish bitch in the world. All this time she'd been pining over her own problems, which suddenly looked inconsequential compared to the agony her best friend was going through. She'd immersed herself in her own drama while she could have been comforting Pam. Knowing it would make the other woman feel better, she handed Imani over to her. Her notion was correct as right away Pam's features lit up, and she nuzzled Imani's little face, cooing softly at her, whispering apologies for her outburst. Sasha watched the tender exchange with a smile. "I can wait with you until Gin comes home," she offered, putting an arm around Pam's shoulders.

But Pam shook her head. "Don't worry about me. I just want Elgin home so he can be with me and his daughter. And you should go home and be with Joe." Her wet eyes hardened with resolve as they locked with Sasha's. "Girl, we've known each other for twenty-five years. You've been there for me through the good and bad, and I've been there for you the same way. And you know I'll always be straight with you. This thing between you and Joe honestly, is petty as hell. Stop it. I ain't never seen a man that's done you right the way he has. He's never cheated on you. He loves you and he adores your children. Sash, he wants to fuckin' marry you! It's normal for couples to fight but y'all can't keep duckin' and runnin' when you have problems. Because in retrospect it's so stupid. Squash this thing going on between you two right fuckin' now! Don't take him for granted, especially now that he's healthy, and don't throw away what you got. Life is way too short for that. So go work it out before it's too late."

Fighting back tears, Sasha nodded slowly, vowing to take heed of the advice. "Okay." She kissed Pam's cheek and rested her forehead against hers. "Elgin's gonna beat this, Pam. I promise," she whispered. "He'll fight this disease and beat the shit out of it like the bitch that it is."

Seemingly buoyed by the rallying words, Pam's lips twitched, curving upwards into a tiny smile. With her free hand, she hugged Sasha back. "Thanks. Now go to your man."

Sasha drove home, barely cognizant that she was driving in light of her current mental state, but somehow she made it unscathed. She drifted around the house in a complete daze. There was no one else around; Mia had gone swimming with friends from school. She wanted to hold her daughter, to kiss her and hug her and thank the Lord that she was happy and healthy. She was supposed to get started with dinner but it was impossible to concentrate on anything. Needing some air, she wandered out of the house and found herself in the pool area. She slid onto one of the wicker chairs and stared into the pool, seeing it without seeing it, her heart broken for her best friend.

It was so unfair. After everything Pam had been through; with her mother, with life as a whole…this was the first time she was truly finding happiness and finding her way in life, only for something like this to happen. Another gripping disease, another agonizing period of uncertainty about whether the love of her life would live or die…It was a wakeup call for Sasha, a painful kick in the gut, and she knew she could not let another second go by without reconciling with the love of her own life. And besides, Elgin was his friend too…he deserved to know what was going on.

Picking up her phone, she dialed Joe's number, hopeful yet terrified of him picking up. She wasn't really sure of what she was going to say or if he even wanted to hear it. Her stomach lurched when the dial tone was cut off, replaced by his deep voice.

"Sasha."

She smiled. Frosty formal tone or not, she was relieved to hear the rich baritone of his voice once again. "Hi," she whispered. Then all of a sudden, she burst into tears.

"Joe…I need you."

* * *

Several miles away, Joe was putting Sika's luggage in the trunk of his Range Rover, preparing to take his parents to the airport to catch their flight back to Pensacola. As he took Patricia's carry-on from Alma, his phone vibrated in his pocket. His heart hammered a little faster at the sight of Sasha's caller I.D. for the first time in days. His head ordered him to ignore the call, to continue to stew and maintain his distance. But his heart nagged and prodded him, eventually winning the internal battle. Swearing under his breath, he held his phone to his ear, bracing himself. "Sasha," he greeted a little more icily than he wanted.

"Hi."

There was a pause for a second or two, the silence amplifying the sound of her breathing. His eyes widened with surprise and confusion when all of a sudden, a sob tore through the phone. "Sash?"

"Joe, I need you."

And just like that, any retort he had prepared at the tip of his tongue, any ill feelings he harbored towards her evaporated the second he heard the anguish in her voice. "What's wrong?" A jolt of concern shot through him. She sounded devastated. This was about a whole lot more than just their problems.

"It's Pam..."

"What about her? Is she alright?"

"No...She's not…" Her sobs increased; she was struggling to speak through her tears. "Joe…Elgin has cancer."

Joe felt the air whoosh out of him. Unexpectedly, the world spun a little, and he was forced to lean against his car to support himself as her words sank in. "Jesus," he breathed, running a hand over the top of his head. "How…when?"

"They found out yesterday. Stage two colon cancer. I thought I should tell you, he's your friend as well. And I just…I needed to hear your voice."

"I'm glad you called." He was bowled over, completely stunned by this news. He looked up and caught Sika watching him closely. He hobbled over to him and gripped his tattooed arm. "Go," the older man mouthed, "Alma will take us to the airport."

Holding his father's gaze briefly, Joe nodded, and with his free hand he pulled his parents' luggage out of his vehicle. "Listen, where are you? You home?" he asked Sasha.

"Yeah, yeah I am."

"Okay. I'll be there in about an hour."

"Are you sure I'm not interrup-"

"You're not," he interjected gently. "I'm on my way. I'm coming to you. You stay put, alright?"

"Okay."

He made it home in forty-five minutes. Entering the house, he went in search of his estranged girlfriend, and found her in the back sitting outside by the pool, with her back turned and her head bowed. He made a beeline for her, noticing how she didn't move, most likely unaware of his presence. He reached out to touch her shoulder and she jumped, quickly turning. Joe's breath hitched in his throat as he took in her red eyes and tear-stained cheeks. She was a mess, for a number of reasons, one of which he knew included him.

"_Nani_." He dropped down next to her and took her into his arms, enfolding her more tightly when she slumped against him and began to sob. "Hey, it's okay, sweetheart."

Her elation at the fact that he'd returned to addressing her by his favorite term of endearment for her was overshadowed by the sadness she was currently enduring. She swallowed hard, feeling tears spilling down her cheeks. "I feel so horrible for Pam. She went through hell with her mom's breast cancer. She doesn't deserve to go through this all over again with her husband. It's so unfair."

Joe brushed her hair out of her face. "When did you find out?"

"This afternoon," Sasha sniffled. "She'd been cranky lately but I didn't know why, and I was too caught up in my own issues to bother. And then she drops that kind of bombshell. I just…it made me think of you, and how I've been taking you for granted without even realizing it. Well that, and Pam gave me a swift kick up the ass too because of you." She gestured between them with a shaky laugh. "She adores you, you know."

Joe smiled despite himself. "The feeling's mutual. She's awesome."

"She made me think about you being in the position Elgin's in right now, and it's horrifying. I can't even begin to imagine something like this happening to you, and the thought of losing you for good terrifies me."

Joe sighed. "You're not gonna lose me, Sasha. I've told you that time and time again. No matter how mad I am at you and vice versa, I'll always be there for you regardless. I love and respect you too much to treat you like that. Why don't you believe me?"

The grittiness to his tone was back, dragging along with it the tensions that had plagued the couple for the past couple of days. Sasha bit her lip musingly for a second, trying to juggle the emotions and thoughts jumbled up in her head and heart. "I just wish I didn't feel like you're sacrificing so much for me," she murmured, "Your dreams of becoming a father. Having your own family. You deserve all of that. Do you know how that makes me feel, that I might be hindering your progress?"

"_You_ are my family, Sasha," Joe insisted, tilting up her chin so she could look at him. "T.K. and Mia are my family, every bit as much as my parents and my sisters and my brother. I love you, and when you love someone this much nothing else matters but their happiness."

"I know that. I do. And because I know that, I'm so afraid you won't be happy with me because I have a defect. I want to be able to give your parents another grandkid in the future and I can't."

"You can't control what's happened to your body. I knew that and I was trying to empathize with you."

"I shouldn't be putting you through this. You have a career to worry about. It's stressful enough for you as it is without me gettin' all up in your face."

"Don't worry about that. And stop worrying so much about whether we can have kids or not. We can adopt. I'm perfectly content with T.K. and Mia as my kids. My folks have grandkids already. Your health and safety matters to me. You are here right now. The children we want are not. So as it stands you are my top priority. If anything ever happens to you I'll never forgive myself."

Sasha leaned into him, resting her face in his chest. Breathing his scent in was equivalent to breathing air. "You're the only man I've ever truly loved. I'm so scared of disappointing you that I end up pushing you away. I don't know how else to react."

"You can react by talking to me instead of getting mad at me. You need to quit doing that, babe."

Clearing her throat, she kept her gaze on their joined hands. "I know. I'm sorry."

"For real. We need to quit blowing up on each other when we argue. It never really solves anything, does it?"

"Not really," Sasha conceded. "How many times are we going to keep saying sorry to each other?"

The answer was simple for him. "As many times as it takes, and as long as we mean it each time."

Sasha gazed at her boyfriend, leaning even closer to him. "I'm not perfect, Joe. I'll never be perfect so I'm always bound to screw up. But when I do I'll spend however long it takes making it up to you...that's if you still want me."

"Of course I still want you," Joe said, staring longingly at her for a heartbeat or two. "God _nani_, I'll always want you." Leaning in, he captured her lips with his, his hand sliding over the back of her neck. Sasha clung to him, a different emotion quickly overtaking her as she returned the kiss. His lips moved over hers, and she could feel his passion, his borderline desperation, blending with hers, kindling a fire that blazed from two individuals coming to terms with the true fleetingness of mortality and the yearning for a lover's touch that had been denied them for what felt like years as opposed to mere days.

The two eventually pulled apart. Sasha held Joe's face in her hands, gazing tenderly into his ash-hued irises. "I love you," she whispered, and even though she had never said those words to him without meaning them, the Samoan knew that this time, she truly meant every syllable. "I love you too," he replied, wiping her cheek with his thumb.

"I'm going to see a Doctor tomorrow," she told him. "I took a second test and it came out negative again."

Joe's countenance sagged. "I'm sorry, _nani_."

Sasha shook her head, smiling sadly at him. "It's okay. I'm gonna find out once and for all what's really wrong with me. I want to know where I stand. If not for the baby issues then at least for my personal health. Elgin's diagnosis has been a real wakeup call and it's time I stepped up." She squeezed his hand. "Will you come with me? I thought about asking you yesterday but we weren't on the best of terms."

"If that's what you want I'll come with you. I'll drive you myself," said Joe, pressing his lips to her temple. It felt really good holding her again. "When we get married, I'm gonna adopt Mia and T.K.," he murmured, "They can both have my last name if they want."

Her smile broadened to a grin as she ran her fingers over his soft black hair, soaking in his beautiful face. "I'm sure Mia will like that."

"I know _I_ will," Joe smiled. "And if I can be half the parent that you are, then it'll be a lifetime achievement for me."

Touched, she leaned up and kissed him again. "I don't deserve you. All I want is for you to be happy."

Joe bent his head down, his lips brushing her hair. "Call me selfish but _I_ deserve _you_," he answered. "You make me so happy and I deserve to be happy. And I know I make you happy too."

"You do, baby. In so many ways you wouldn't believe." She looked into his eyes again. Rich, deep grey eyes she lost herself in every time. They were so much more than eyes…they were the window to his soul. Those eyes told her how much he loved her. He never needed to say anything because his eyes said it all. She truly had never loved anyone so much. "I won't fight with you anymore. Please. Stay with me," she pleaded, "I won't survive if I lost you..."

"You won't lose me," Joe reiterated. "And Elgin will be fine. He'll get through this if we all rally around him and be there for him and Pam. And I'll be right here with you because by your side is where I always wanna be, baby girl." He truly meant this. Nothing else mattered to him. If they never had children, it wouldn't be a problem as long as he could still be with her. _They_ were a family already, a family of four; him, Sasha, Mia and T.K. And he knew he could live a happy, fulfilled life with the three of them.

"I've been stupid, babe. I'm so sorry." Her words were quiet and tearful. The thought of losing him proved to be too much. No more pushing him away, no more fighting and causing them both pain. It wasn't worth it, it never was.

Her apology was met by a whispered shush and a kiss to her lips. "No more apologies babe. It's done," he said. In his mind there was no need to apologize any longer. All that mattered was that they were back on the same page, and they were still deeply in love with each other. They could survive anything as long as they kept that in mind. "It's gonna be okay, Sasha. We're gonna be okay."

A tender smile appeared on Sasha's face. "Yes. We are." With that, she let him envelop her fully in his strong arms, the only place she ever wanted to be. The only place she truly belonged was with him, and she would never make the mistake of jeopardizing their love again.

* * *

_**I shed a tear writing this chapter. I still feel terrible for putting y'all through that, tbh. I tried to keep it as simple as possible and hope it worked out. **_

_**I am fortunate enough to have never experienced the physical and emotional pain that comes with the terrible disease that is cancer. I hope I was able to depict the scene with Pam and Sasha accurately. If this doesn't keep Jasha together, nothing else will, methinks. Hopefully they're back for good this time.**_

_**Song lyrics from 'How You Gonna Act Like That' by Tyrese and 'White Flag' by Dido respectively.**_

_**Thanks so much for your support. Sorry once again for taking so long to update!**_


	59. Chapter 59

_**A/N: Call me the queen of apologies cuz I'm at it again. Sorry I've been gone so long. Again. It's been a busy few weeks for me. I've finally moved back home so I've kinda been settling in and getting back in the groove of things after 18 months away. Thanks to everyone who sent me PMs during this period, particularly **__Lucy1029__**. I'm perfectly fine, I've just been busy and still suffering from jetlag, lol.**_

_**Thank you to**__ LetItReign, Bharm, CrymsonWyldStyle, StoryLover82, Lucy1029, Siren's Call To The Dead, Chermayne, benova13, ItReignsJustice-619, jade, darkcloud77, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, princessreigns, CarolReigns, JxTina, Guest, Paisley2, ridinginthecarwithJoe, DeeMarie426, Shield316, Pinayprincesa, corbettluv, justkimmy, CFierce116, IRENELOVE83, Olivia Reigns, ApSnowball, Tammy, SecondCitySavage, sixxyb __**and **__LuxuriaVanitas __**for the awesome reviews. Mwah!**_

_**For some reason the link to my story album isn't working. It keeps reverting back to my fanfic page when I click on it. Since no links are working, I suggest you type in **__msbigredmachine's bucket __**on Google. The link **__msbigredmachine's library/photobucket__** will come up. Click on that and then click the **__'Into The Deep End - A Roman Reigns story'__** album. On the right hand of the screen is a **__Share Links__** menu. Click on the **__Slideshow__** link and paste it on the address bar. Kindly let me know if there's still problems :) If I can't find another solution, well...**_

_**Enjoy 59!**_

* * *

_If there's a question of my heart, you've got it  
It don't belong to anyone but you  
If there's a question of my love, you've got it  
Baby don't worry, I've got plans for you  
Baby, I've been making plans, oh love  
Baby, I've been making plans for you_

_Three months later…_

This was straight-up voyeurism wasn't it, what she was doing. It didn't feel that way at all, but it had to be. Right?

Sasha had been awake for over an hour and she'd spent every second gazing at her sleeping boyfriend, resting on his side facing her. He looked so young and relaxed and peaceful. He did need to shave though, and some hair had escaped from his loosening ponytail. She wanted to run her fingers through it, but it was highly likely that the action would awaken him. He slept like a log all night, and understandably so after a stressful week. They'd only just returned yesterday evening from Pensacola and last night was the first time he'd had any proper sleep. It was best that she let him be. She could play with his hair later. Carefully, she slid out from under his arm, grabbed her robe to cover her nude body and tiptoed into the bathroom to brush her teeth. She crept back into the bedroom and saw that Joe had turned on his stomach, causing the covers to slide down his body and expose a naked butt cheek and leg. His ponytail was completely free now so his hair flowed down his broad back. Sasha bit her lip and quickly scrambled out of the room before she could change her mind, climb back into the large bed and ravage him.

Alone in the kitchen as she prepared breakfast, she ran through a mental checklist of the day ahead. T.K. was back home with his girlfriend Angelia, but they were only here for a short visit as they had to return to Iowa before the weekend was over. She'd missed him so much; he'd been gone for about three months, training in Des Moines, and had only come home twice the entire period. He had one more month to go before his training was complete. Sasha remembered when T.K. had introduced her to Angie via FaceTime some weeks back. She recalled her skepticism at meeting the young woman, then said skepticism being wiped away the minute they first spoke to each other. The girl was quite the charmer, and she clicked well with Sasha. For the first time since her son started dating, Sasha actually liked the girl he was with. That had never happened, so she figured it was good omen.

A lot of good had been happening around her over the past couple of months, actually. Elgin was responding well to chemotherapy and showing signs of progress. Pam remained by his side and was keeping strong for him and their daughter. Imani was happy and healthy and the seven-month-old remained a constant source of joy to her parents during this tough time. Mia was about to enter fourth grade and was less than a year away from the big 1-0. In funnier news, Sasha heard through the grapevine that her ex-boyfriend Tyson was having another kid…but it wasn't Desiree's. She could only imagine how much grief his wife was giving him over that situation. Or maybe not. She really couldn't care less. Those two were no longer her problem. Reggie's Bar &amp; Grill was expanding through Tampa, and Reggie had offered Sasha the Manager's position at the new, swankier restaurant that had opened in downtown Tampa. She would be further away from home but with T.K. never around these days she only had Mia to worry about. Plus, no more nightly shifts for her. Other people were doing that now. Now that she had her GED, she could finally back up all her work experience with credentials. So while she may not have made the cut for the photography job she'd applied to, she got an even bigger opportunity and took it gladly. Evidently every cloud had a silver lining, including the one cloud in her life that had been complicated for a long time…

_Sasha was glad she didn't have to pee in a cup for this appointment. It was still one of the most uncomfortable things she had ever done. It reminded her of what she endured back in junior year of high school during another of the authorities' fruitless attempts to curb the widespread marijuana problem at school. It sucked just as much as sitting in the OB-GYN's office wearing only those thin-ass hospital gowns that covered up nothing. She looked around the room, her feet bumping the side of the table as she swung her legs fretfully._

_Sitting beside her, Joe rubbed her thigh. "Nervous?"_

_"No," she lied._

_His hand left her thigh to curl around her waist. "Liar," he whispered and kissed her forehead. "You're gonna be fine, _nani_." He could tell that she didn't agree and chalked it up to nerves. He would keep trying to encourage her though._

_As the door to the OB-GYN's office swung open, Sasha glanced up and swallowed hard. Normally she was happy to see Dr. Mona Sawyer, whom she and Joe had been visiting over the last two months, and it had got to a point where the mother of two could now call her a friend. But right now every other sentiment she owned was replaced by stone cold fear._

_Greeting them both with a smile and a warm hug, Dr. Sawyer took a seat opposite the couple. "So how are you two feeling? Good?"_

_"I'm good._ _She's_ _terrified," Joe joked, and Sasha nudged his shoulder for his troubles._

_Dr. Sawyer smiled at them and then cleared her throat. "Okay, I'm gonna cut to the chase and give you the answers you're here for." She took the long brown file she'd carried into the office with her and drew out an X-ray photo, pinning it onto the board in the office. The couple watched her every move._

"_So Sasha, this is the X-ray of your cervical area you had a month ago. I retrieved from your medical history that you had emergency cervical surgery immediately after you gave birth to your daughter nine years ago, due to excessive bleeding following her delivery. The surgery caused significant scarring or damage to your cervix, which is the neck of your uterus over here…" Mona pointed at a spot on the X-ray, "And this happens to be one of the major causes of infertility among women. However, your tests have shown that your cervix is now fully healed, and that should allow you to have a full-term pregnancy without any life-threatening complications. Joe's tests also showed no traces of infertility. In other words, I see no reason you can't and shouldn't get pregnant if you want to."_

_Stunned, Joe and Sasha stared at each other. Several seconds ticked by as each of them digested the news. Sasha looked at Mona in bewilderment, her vision blurred by the tears in her eyes. She could get pregnant? Her problems were gone? Was this really happening? She legitimately had no words to express what she was feeling within her._

_Joe was first to speak, a big smile spreading across his handsome face. "Wow…That's great news, Doctor," he said._

_Mona's smile was as big as Joe's. "I figured it would be."_

_Sasha didn't let go of Joe's hand…its large warmth enclosed around hers was the only proof that this moment wasn't a dream. "So…what now?" she stammered._

"_Well, in cases like these we usually advise expectant management, which means you can continue to try to conceive by having regular unprotected sex. How often do you two try these days? Any changes?" Dr. Sawyer asked, writing on Sasha's chart._

_Sasha looked over at Joe's reddened cheeks. She couldn't stop grinning as she spoke. "Um…not really. We still try very often. He's gone for weeks, maybe more at a time thanks to his job, and I miss him so much, so things get a little heated when he comes home." She trailed off before she could ramble on and on._

"_Yeah. Basically, our sex life is still very healthy," Joe filled in for her, blushing deeply as Dr. Sawyer's smile widened. He leaned over to kiss Sasha's temple, squeezing her fingers as his brain continued to process this fantastic news._

_After one last brief exam on the two of them, Dr. Sawyer spoke to them both. "Well, you're both still physically healthy. Neither of you is under nor overweight, and I'm well aware that Joe's line of work requires frequent and rigorous exercise and workouts that I do not medically rule as dangerous. I will order an inter-vaginal sonogram for you Sasha, just to be safe. That's the final test I'll need from you."_

_Sasha shot Joe a nervous smile. So far she was given a clean bill of health. It was only the sonogram that was left. She could only hope that one went right for her too._

_The OB-GYN leaned forwards and placed a reassuring hand on Sasha's shoulder. "For now, you two need to relax and let nature take its course. Just be patient, and don't try so hard," she added with a wink._

_Sasha shrugged. "It's kinda tough not to though…I mean, look at my man. He's so damn hot." Rubbing her boyfriend's arm, she gazed at him adoringly, causing Dr. Sawyer to laugh and Joe to turn away to hide both his blush and a huge smile._

_"Make an appointment for the sonogram this week and I'll see you again soon." Dr. Sawyer turned to leave after patting Sasha on the arm. "You two are gonna be fine. Just enjoy each other, alright?"_

Her reverie was interrupted by a small noise coming from her right, where the staircase was. She turned and smiled widely as Joe came into view, barefoot and bare-chested. "So this is where you've been," he stated, his voice raspy from sleep as he lumbered into the kitchen.

Sasha had to touch the corner of her mouth to check if she was drooling. How did she manage to bag such a hottie for a boyfriend? "Good morning, Mr. Reigns. You sleep good?"

He nodded and rubbed his eyes. "I passed out last night," he said.

"You did," Sasha nodded, having to refrain from laughing at his zombie-like movements as he wandered around the kitchen island. "But that's good. You need all the sleep you can get after the week you've had." Sika had fallen seriously ill earlier in the week, and Joe had dropped everything to go be with him in Pensacola. Sasha accompanied him so she could keep Patricia company and keep both mother and son sane. Joe ended up missing two house shows but as far as the Samoan was concerned, family was far more important than anything else.

Sasha turned her back to him to open the refrigerator, taking out a pitcher of freshly blended carrot juice. "It's cheat day today. What would you like for breakfast?"

Joe stood behind her, running his hands along her hips. "You."

Desire flashed, fast and hot, through her. His forwardness, especially when he wanted sex, was still taking some getting used to. "And what if that's not on the menu?" she inquired, gasping when he pushed up on her, his morning hardness pressing against her lower back.

"I'm sure I can convince you to reconsider." He flattened one palm over her stomach and kissed her neck. "Come back to bed," he whispered.

Good Lord, his voice. That deep, smooth whispery voice of his. She'd lost count of how many times he'd charmed her into bed with it, not that she ever needed much convincing in the first place. She sighed, sensing her thoughts drift away from her as he began a trail of kisses along her neck – a weakness of hers that he never hesitated to exploit – with gentle brushes of his lips up and down the column of skin. He turned her around to face him, taking her chin between his fingers. His touch was gentle but his gaze was raw, reducing Sasha to a puddle of goo. As he pressed his lips to hers, he let go of her chin to pull her to him, his front flush against hers, and Sasha moaned low in her throat. She placed her hands on the hard muscles of his chest, then slid them up his shoulders and held on, letting him take control of the kiss. He needed this and she was more than happy to give him what he needed.

It started out relatively chaste but it rapidly became more, sparking the familiar sensual heat that always led to something much more carnal and passionate. "Mia could wake up soon," Sasha tried to debate, even though she knew her daughter could sleep through an earthquake.

Joe suckled her neck as he tugged off the belt holding her robe together. "I checked on her. She's still fast asleep. And T.K.'s gone off somewhere. We can do whatever we want."

"Yeah?"

"Mm-hmm." The Samoan silenced his girlfriend by closing his teeth over her lower lip and sucking it gently. He watched her eyes glaze over with hunger as they met his own, and sighed as she boldly plunged her tongue inside his mouth, sliding it along his in an alluring rhythm. Her hands couldn't stop moving up and down his back, exploring the contours and ridges she now knew by heart. Inhibitions were fading away very quickly, which had become a normal occurrence between them. Ever since Elgin's cancer diagnosis, Sasha's guarded cautiousness had become a thing of the past. No longer did she allow any doubts or fears hinder her relationship with Joe. Having made up her mind to change her ways, she gathered up the courage to finally let herself go emotionally, to fully embrace Joe and his unquestionable love for her, and it turned out to be a wonderful decision. Of course there was still the occasional tiff that all normal couples experienced, but it was nothing that threatened to derail them like in the past. All of that was gone. They were both confident in what they had and were happier than they'd ever been together.

Both of Joe's hands slid down to her ass, clenching it tightly before he lifted her effortlessly onto the kitchen counter, his muscled body occupying the space between her parted legs. Sasha tightened her grip on him right away, as though afraid he would change his mind and pull away. "Don't stop," she all but begged.

Joe shook his head. "I won't. Not until you come," he whispered, his mouth back on hers in the same breath with which he spoke. His tongue rolled against hers as he pushed open her dressing gown, sliding the garment off her shoulders before grabbing her breasts. The sound of their ragged breathing cut through the morning quiet that had settled in the open kitchen. Joe nudged her thighs wider apart with a shift of his body, his large hand winding into her hair for a quick tug to expose her neck to him. He licked and nibbled from her neck down to her chest and sucked her peaked nipple hard, smiling against her skin when she moaned. Impatiently, Sasha grabbed the back of his head and guided his mouth back to hers. Her other hand grasped his length and pulled it right out of his shorts, and it was Joe's turn to groan.

"_Nani_…" His breathing quickened, his body tight with anticipation as she gripped him, guiding him towards her entrance so he could slide home inside her.

"Yo, anyone up yet?" The front door opened, and T.K. strolled happily into the house, his steps coming to an abrupt, screeching halt at the sight before him. "Jesus Christ Ma!"

Sasha shoved Joe away from between her legs. Scrambling to find her robe, she yanked it over her bare shoulders and jumped down from the kitchen counter, gaping at her son in shock and embarrassment. "Ty!"

"Is it safe to look now?" T.K. had turned his back with his hand over his eyes. Cautiously he turned back around, uncovered his face, and gaped at his mother, horror-struck. "Mama, what the hell!" he spluttered, "Isn't Mia upstairs or somethin'? What if she walked in on y'all?"

Good point. But she forgot about that. That was the kind of magic her boyfriend possessed; all rational thought disappeared with the simplest caress of his hand. Stumped for a justifiable answer, all she could do was tug the robe tighter around her body and wish the ground could open up and swallow her whole.

"Hey, kid. What's up?" She heard Joe say behind her. His shorts were already back up, and he wore an easygoing smile like nothing had happened, like he hadn't just been quite literally caught with his pants down. How on earth did he always stay so calm in situations like this?

T.K. cringed inwardly, still reeling from what he'd just witnessed. It was great that they were so much in love with each other, but he really could have done without the image of his half-naked mother sitting spread-eagled on the counter groping and sucking face with her boyfriend. This wasn't the first time he was catching them in the act, and each time traumatized him. At this rate he was going to need serious therapy. But first he needed to wash his eyes out with bleach. "We'll be in my room," he declared, gesturing between himself and Angie, who looked just as embarrassed as he did.

"Hi Miss Morgan." She waved awkwardly.

"Hey…Angie." Sasha couldn't bring herself to look at her. Luckily she didn't have to, as T.K. dragged Angie out of sight towards his bedroom. Sasha turned to see Joe covering his mouth with his shoulders shaking. "The hell are you laughin' at?" she snapped, slapping his arm.

The Samoan was moments away from completely losing it. "The look on your face, babe," he chortled, pointing at her. "I swear to God it's the funniest thing I've ever seen."

She whacked him in his chest with the back of her hand. "It's not funny. Why aren't you ever fazed when we get caught?"

"What's the point? If we're caught, we're caught. You can't change it can you?" He raised an eyebrow at her, and Sasha groaned and spun around. "I'm going back upstairs," she announced, suddenly lacking appetite of any form.

Joe trailed after her. "Sounds good to me. We still got some time to kill before we head out later."

"I thought Cassie's barbecue was tomorrow."

"Not the barbecue. I'm supposed to check out a place for Al, remember?"

Oh yeah. She forgot about that. Somewhere down the line Joe had developed a big interest in real estate, in houses and property and land and everything that had to do with them. It all started about two months ago when Alma started recruiting him in his free time to appear at the showings of buyers who were WWE fans and influence their decisions to purchase the property. Sometimes he dragged Sasha along to see some of the properties, and she'd seen him work his magic on the clients, and knew his success was fueling his passion to be fully involved in the real estate business someday. "How many properties has Alma sent you to now? Three? Four?" she asked him.

"Four. And all home runs," he replied proudly. "Hopefully I get the fifth this afternoon. It's a lady that's interested, apparently."

Sasha snorted. "Last time you had a female client all she was 'interested' in was you." She opened the door to their bedroom with a little more force than required, and made her way to the walk-in closet. "And don't tell me Alma's broker friend is tagging along too."

Joe exhaled, fighting exasperation. "Sash."

"What?" Her voice echoed from inside the closet.

"Her name's Cleo. We've talked about this."

"Yeah we have. And I remember saying I don't like the way _Cleo_ looks at you." She poked her head back out to give him a pointed glare. "And she's always giving me this look, like she know something about you that I don't."

Joe joined her in the closet and nodded approvingly at the strapless jade maxi dress she picked out. "You know everything about me, doll," he said. "Cleo accompanies me to the showings for obvious reasons. She's the real estate agent, not me, remember? She works for Alma, and we both need her."

Sasha locked eyes with her boyfriend and sighed. "I know," she conceded. "Don't mean I gotta like it though."

"Relax. I don't need to tell you you're the only woman I have eyes for, do I?" said Joe, as she brushed past him out of the closet to place the maxi dress on the couch. "Alma's been working you hard though. Like pimp hard," she pointed out.

"Pimp?" Joe repeated, incredulous. "What do you mean pimp?"

"You heard me. Your sister is pimping you out," Sasha laughed.

"No she's not," he pouted.

"Yes she is. All your siblings have pimped you out on at least one occasion throughout your life. Matt did it when you were a kid, making you fetch all his stuff, Cassie did it with her furniture business, and now Alma's using you to sell off her houses. Let's call it what it is, big boy. Your siblings are your pimps."

Joe crossed his muscular arms over his chest. "I take offense to that."

Lifting her shoulder in a shrug, Sasha added, "Well you _are_ getting paid." She smirked, laughing as Joe curled his lip at her words. He stepped out of his shorts and flopped down onto the bed, bouncing off it slightly on impact. He reached behind him to fluff the pillow beneath his head. "Maybe I can use my next commission to get Mia the dog she wants," he suggested.

"Now don't you go spoiling her," Sasha warned.

"It's not a big deal, babe. She can learn a lot about responsibility from taking care of a dog. I think it's a good idea." He watched Sasha put her shoes away and licked his lips as she bent over, the silk robe hitching up her backside. The stirring between his legs reemerged. "Now that you've finished making fun of me, can I finally get some ass?"

Sasha giggled, looking over her shoulder. "How nice of you to ask politely."

"That's as polite as I'm gonna get," he responded as she stood up straight, and he heard her breath hitch at the sight of his erection draped over his hip. Smirking at the look on her face, he fisted his dick and stroked it deliberately, watching the lust fill her eyes once more. "I know you want me baby girl. So do I. Come here," he growled.

The corner of her lip quirked. "You want yourself?"

He rolled his eyes. "You know what I meant."

"I guess I do." She walked over to the bedroom door and locked it, closing them off from embarrassed teenage sons and their equally teenage girlfriends, and made her way to the bed. She took her time crawling in, her gaze locked on Joe, and threw one leg over his naked body to straddle his hips. Joe moved his hands from her thighs and her backside up to her slender waist. He untied her silk robe once again, this time succeeding in undressing her completely. He cupped her breasts, admiring them as he squeezed and sculpted them in his palms.

"You've got really nice boobs," he observed, the mesmerized tone of his voice slashing his age in half, and drawing a giggle out of his girlfriend.

"Thank you." Biting her lip, Sasha rolled her ass against him, and he groaned as he felt her moist heat spread over him, her soaked entrance brushing over the tip of his length. It blew his mind – and other parts of his anatomy – how easily wet her pussy always got for him. He growled and kissed her hard while he raised her ass in the air, both moaning as he lowered her down onto his dick. Gosh, finally. He kept a firm grip on her plump backside, lifting her methodically up and down his rigid length. As she clutched the pillows above his head, his hips rose off the bed, thrusting slowly into her while he moved her up and down, gasping as her pussy wrapped snugly around every inch of him like a glove.

Sasha hummed with satisfaction and twisted her fingers in his hair. "Mmm, baby…keep doin' me like that. Don't stop."

"I won't." Joe gave her a devilish smile. "Not until you come."

* * *

"Holy shit."

Joe chuckled in amusement at his girlfriend's remark as the Range Rover came to a stop. He climbed out and rounded the vehicle to open the passenger's side for her. He carefully helped her out, noting her awed expression as she gawked at the vastness before her.

At a little under six thousand square feet, it was easily one of the biggest properties she had ever seen. The house itself was a stunning Mediterranean-style masterpiece, with stone pathways wrapping around impeccably trimmed green grass and short palm trees. A stone fountain stood in the middle of the pathway, and giant columns greeted them at the entrance to the veranda towards the large double-entry front doors. Hand in hand, the couple walked up, and Joe fished around in his pocket for the house keys before smiling at Sasha. "So, you ready to go in?" he asked.

Sasha gave a slight shake of her head and smoothed down her maxi dress. "Can we even finish viewing it in one day?" This was a colossus of a house. Joe's potential client was in for a treat. Surely Alma would forward him a nice sum from this sale too.

Upon entering the house, the two were treated to a magnificent view of the pool area outside and beyond through the large pocket sliding-glass doors featured in the massive living room. A fireplace and built-in shelves graced one wall of the living room. They passed through an arched opening situated next to a walk-in wet-bar and found an over-sized family room with a built-in entertainment center and a second fireplace. One wing of the house took up the study, equipped with built-in bookshelves and a large mahogany desk, along with a large guest-bedroom, powder room, pool bath and utility room. Walking through the large pocket-sliding doors, they strolled into the lanai, with the outdoor grilling area and a large swimming pool spread before them. It was perfect for parties, cookouts, barbecues, or just chilling outside on a quiet breezy evening. Whoever lived in this house was going to have a blast.

Upstairs was more of the same fabulousness. The master bedroom was the most magnificent of the six bedrooms. The ceiling was vaulted and the bedroom opened to the balcony from which one could see the lanai as well as the pool area from a further distance. The 'his and her' walk-in closets were roomy, bigger than the ones in their home. The luxurious master bath featured an over-sized tub and a large dual-head shower area. Two his-and-her toilets completed the bathroom design. Sasha and Joe pushed open the double doors and stepped out onto the balcony to test out the view outside. Sasha could already envision how beautiful the sunset would be from here.

Joe gazed down at Sasha, watching her every reaction as she looked out the balcony. "Incredible, huh?"

"Amazing." This place was unbelievable. Anyone who could afford this place would be crazy not to take it. She herself was already sold and she hadn't even seen the house in its entirety.

"I hear the best part of the house is at the other side," Joe told her, holding his hand out. "Wanna see?"

Sasha noticed the prominent twinkle in his gorgeous eyes. He seemed particularly enthusiastic about this house. But who could blame him?

She followed him back downstairs and to another side of the house, opening a door that led outside. He pushed it open, and Sasha's jaw dropped.

It was the most breathtaking garden she'd ever seen, its landscaping dominated by rows and rows of neatly trimmed rose bushes. Red and pink and yellow and white roses lined all four corners of the garden, and it bore a strong resemblance to the gardens she and Joe had strolled through on the private island in Pensacola so many months ago. Sasha blinked several times as she turned around slowly in the same spot, shaking her head. "Okay…I'm totally jealous of this client of yours. She's bagged a total gem in this place." She glanced at her watch and looked up at Joe, who continued to intently study her every move. "Speaking of, where she at? She shoulda been here like half an hour ago, right?"

His already wide smile broadened. "What if I told you she's been here with me all along?"

Narrowing her eyes, Sasha looked around expecting to see someone else there, and then looked back at him, growing more confused when she saw his gaze fixed determinedly on her. "Wait…_me_?"

"Well technically, you _and_ me," he said with a nonchalant shrug, though his fingers were crossed tightly behind his back. "We will be living together after all."

Sasha's eyes widened, her entire body slacking as realization dawned on her. "Wait a minute…_you're_ the one buying this house?"

"I'd like to." He smiled. Thanks to his healthy WrestleMania bonus and the checks from the recently released video game, he had some change to spare and this was where it went. "That's why I've been communicating with Cleo. She found this place. I liked it, and I thought you'd like it too. It's in a gated community not too far from the city…I wanted your approval before I bought it. Cleo will get a good price for our current home when I put it on the market." His smile faded, and his heart raced uncomfortably at the look on her face, and right away he wondered if he'd acted too fast again, if this was too big a risk this time. "You don't like it?"

Glimpsing the hurt in his eyes, the mother of two shook her head adamantly. "No, no, I love it. It's just…I didn't think it was for me…I never thought in my wildest dreams…" Tears clogged her throat. "Oh Joe. A house! Why do you go through so much trouble for me?"

Joe stepped closer to her, wrapping his muscular arms around her waist. "Because I'm in love," he said simply. "And it's not just any house, baby girl. It's our home," he emphasized, placing a gentle kiss on her nose and looking into her eyes. "I know we've only been living together for a short while, but I've loved every moment of coming home to you and spending all our free time together. The court case with Andrea had me thinking of the old memories in our current place. Bad memories. I want to start a new life with you and create brand new memories with us as a family. You, me, T.K., Mia, and whoever else we welcome into our family. All of us, together. Here. If you want it, just say the word and it's ours."

Sasha was blown away. Absolutely blown away. Six years ago she was cramped in a glorified sardine can with her two young children. Now she had the choice to reside in a six thousand square-foot gated home for the rest of her life with the man she was hopelessly in love with. Who was she to turn down such a seductive offer? Burying her face in her man's chest, all she could do was nod. "Yes. I want it. I want it all."

Relief washed over the Samoan's handsome features and he let out an audible sigh. He circled his arms over her shoulders in a big hug and stroked her hair, quietly thanking God that this was working out well so far. Several seconds passed when he said, "You know, there's more."

She pulled back and gaped at him. More? What else, what more could he possibly have in store after something as unbelievable as this?

"Hi Mama!"

She spun round and found T.K. and Mia crossing the garden to join them. Mia rushed into her arms and kissed her cheek, then presented two red roses to her. Sasha looked down at the roses and saw they were intertwined together at the stems. Now she was really confused. "What is going on? What are you two doing here?" she asked, watching Mia hug Joe.

T.K. grinned at his mother's disoriented countenance. She hadn't seen anything yet. "Angie dropped us off. This place is awesome, Ma. Do you like it?"

"Wait, you knew about this place too?" she inquired, and they both nodded, grinning widely. Clearly they were all in on some plan she wasn't a part of. She returned her gaze to Joe's, a sigh escaping her full lips. "I love it. The décor could do with a little tweaking but overall it's amazing," she commented, inhaling the roses in her grasp and smiling softly.

Joe smiled. "I'm glad you like it. I care so much for you _nani._ I want to give you more. I want you to have everything you've ever wanted."

It was all too much for her, too overwhelming. The tears she was keeping in finally spilled forth. "I just want you," she whispered.

Smiling softly, Joe wiped her face with his thumbs. "And you have me. You've had me since the moment I first laid eyes on you. I was days away from completely self-destructing and you saved me. You gave me something that I was missing for a long time. I am in awe of you. You are such a beautiful woman, inside and out. You are sexy and smart, strong and independent and an amazing mother. An amazing lover. I can't keep my hands off of you. Your sassy mouth and your fire make me so crazy. I love how you don't put up with my crap, but you put up with the crap that comes with my career. You hold me down and make me feel like a million bucks even when I don't feel that way inside. You mean everything to me, and I've since realized that I cannot live without you."

He ran his thumb along her lower lip and smiled at the tears in her eyes, his nerves quelling just a little when she pursed her lips against his thumb. He cleared his throat, took a deep breath. "Baby girl, you are the center of my world. I want to love you, protect you, fight with you and make up with you for the rest of my life, all in this house right here. I know I won't get to be home all the time and trust me I fuckin' hate that, but I'll make time to be with you and our family. I'll always make time for you, _nani_. I want to be yours forever, and I want you to be mine forever, and there's only one way I can show you how much I mean that."

Taking another deep breath, he stepped back from her, and reaching into his pocket, he withdrew a tiny velvet box.

Time froze. Like literally froze. The world seemed to stop moving as Sasha finally realized what was going on. A gasp ripped from her throat and her hands flew to her mouth as she watched Joe descend to one knee. He carefully opened the box, revealing a white-gold band with a sparkling, cushion-cut diamond in the center.

_Oh my god!_

Though his smile was nervous, his words were as clear as the afternoon sky above them. "Sasha. My love, my queen…I'm asking you in front of the two most important people in your life, to make me the happiest, most blessed man in the world. Be my wife, Sasha. Marry me."

She could barely see through her tears. She could hardly breathe. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it was going to burst inside her chest. She tore her gaze from the ring to look into his grey eyes, seeing nothing but his heart in them. It was one thing talking and thinking about this moment. To have it actually happen, in the middle of this beautiful rose garden, with the most breathtaking piece of jewelry she'd ever seen, was an entirely different, entirely indescribable emotion. She looked over at her two children, and noticed how they stood confidently by each side of Joe; their father figure, who even at his young age was a better father to them than their own fathers ever were. They loved him just like he loved them. And that solidified the answer she'd always known in her heart.

Joe took her prolonged silence for something else. "Baby, say something," he whispered, his worried eyes boring into hers. But he never had to worry anymore. Never had to question or even doubt how much in love with him she was. Because she was head over heels. That part of her was dead and gone and in the past where it belonged. Her future was with him. Her future was now and forever with Joe Anoa'i.

She smiled reassuringly as tears continued streaming down her face, surprisingly calm on the outside even though her heart was still hammering and she was giddy and leaping for joy on the inside. Her trembling hand found its way to his face, caressing his cheekbone with her palm. "Joe," she breathed, "My beautiful, amazing Joe. I would be honored to be your wife."

Joe's eyes immediately softened at her response. "Is that a yes?" he whispered, and she giggled tearfully.

"Yes, baby. Yes it is."

"Thank God." He pressed his lips to her hand, and it felt like he was on autopilot as he took the ring out of the box, slid it carefully up her ring finger and kissed it reverently. His head was spinning, Sasha's answer buzzing in his ears. Suddenly, everything had changed. Everything between them became that much more final, much more complete.

Sasha held up her hand, turning it left and right as she admired the diamond. "It's so beautiful."

"Simple and beautiful. Like you," Joe agreed with a smile, repeating the words he'd said to her back in Miami, seemingly a lifetime ago now. They'd both come so far together.

"I helped pick the ring, Mama," Mia chirped in proudly.

Sasha gaped at her daughter, and then down at the entwined roses she was still clenching. "And this? What does this mean?"

"It represents the question you just said yes to," T.K. responded. "We did our research."

Sasha glared playfully at all three of them. "Y'all been working overtime behind my back huh?"

"Something like that," Joe laughed. His eyes were round and bright, and his smile was a wide, joyous, heart-breaking smile that made her fall in love with him all over again. He rose back to his feet and pulled her to him, kissing her zealously. Sasha wrapped her arms around his neck, squealing as he lifted her up in the air and spun her around. Reluctantly, he set her down seconds later and kept his tight hold on her, burying his face in her neck. "I'm so happy right now," he murmured.

And she was just as ecstatic. She wanted nothing but happiness for the man who changed her life, who had fought so hard for her and for their relationship. He deserved love and happiness and Sasha promised to spend the rest of their lives giving him all of that and more.

Nothing could wipe the grin off of her face as she glanced down at her beautiful ring. "Oh my god, I'm getting married," she squeaked tearfully, fighting the urge to pinch herself.

Joe watched her eyes glisten again, and he rested his forehead against hers, his arms wrapped protectively around the woman who was now his fiancée. "I love you. You're mine now. Forever," he whispered.

Sasha placed her hand on his chest, the diamond glinting off her finger, and she relished the feel of his heartbeat as she kissed his lips softly. "I love you too, Leati. And you're mine, forever and ever. I wouldn't have it any other way and I'm never gonna let you go."

* * *

_**There really couldn't have been any other outcome, could there? Y'all woulda killed me, for one, lol.**_

_**I hope I got the scene with the OB-GYN right. Heck, I hope I got EVERY scene right. And speaking of scenes…the kitchen counter/T.K. scene is my little shout-out to **__fenner82__**, she's been clamoring for that for a long time, lol.**_

_**Two more chapters and that's it. Got the champagne on ice (even though I don't drink) as I bid farewell to my baby. **_

_**Song lyrics from "The Matrimony" by Wale and Usher. (LOVE that song, the chorus is just heaven.)**_

_**Kindly review! Sorry I took so long.**_


	60. Chapter 60

_**A/N: Did some of y'all actually think ITDE was completely over? Cammannnnn! We've come this far. There's still a wedding to plan. And from the looks of this chapter, it looks like it's already been planned… ;)**_

_**If you love Roman Reigns one-shots (and Shield one-shots in general), look up **__JxTina__**'s profile page. She is an exquisite, skilled writer and even though I only just found her work I already look up to her in terms of her narrative and descriptive content, which I feel I still need to improve on my own part. I admire her work a lot and once you read her stories I believe you'll feel the same way.**_

_**Thank you to **__Sasha, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, Godschildtweety, ChelleLew, darkcloud77, 4life, CarolReigns, Ctinaisfashion, corbettluv,benova13, Bharm, Lucy1029, ItReignsJustice-619, Paisley2, jade, justkimmy, DeeMarie426, 33, Olivia Reigns, Chermayne, sixxyb, Shield316, JxTina, Tammy, nikki1335, IRENELOVE83, mitchy21, CFierce116, princessreigns, fenner82, ApSnowball, Guest __**and**__ SecondCitySavage__** for the reviews. So many of them too! Thanks guys! :D**_

_**Hope y'all don't mind a bit of fluff...enjoy!**_

* * *

_Ten months later_; _Pensacola, FL._

Running her sweaty palms down her torso, Sasha stood in the middle of the empty bedroom, in complete awe of the woman staring back at her in the full-length mirror.

She could not emphasize enough how much she loved her wedding dress. It was a long, ivory lace mermaid gown with a sweetheart neckline. The dress hugged her from her bust to the middle of her thighs, then flared around her in a lace and organza waterfall. The sleeves were a complex mesh and lace embroidery that wrapped all the way up her arms to the tops of her shoulders. Adorning her well-pedicured feet were Giuseppe Zanotti sandals that she ordered as soon as she laid eyes on it on Joe's laptop. It hadn't taken much to persuade him to let her buy them…a lick here and a suck there, but that was a story for later. She kept her makeup simple but striking with nude colors and lipstick, only adding a little blush to her cheeks and a speckle of gold to her eyelids for some drama. Her hair was rolled up and tucked at the nape of her neck. Yeah, she liked how she looked very much. Nothing outlandish or too far from her comfort zone, or Joe's. They may have been separated but she wanted him to recognize her when she walked down the aisle.

"You look so beautiful." Pam appeared behind her, and the mother of two smiled nervously at her best friend and chief bridesmaid. The mother of one looked just as magnificent in her one-shoulder purple chiffon gown. The door to the bedroom stood ajar, and Sasha could see the rest of the ladies outside. Joe's mother, Patricia and his sister Alma were standing together in a corner, both looking lovely in their gold and navy blue dresses respectively. Amber, Trinity and Angelia, all wearing lilac bridesmaid dresses, were carefully trailing Imani as she tottered around, the seventeen-month old adorable in her little white dress and matching white headband. Mia looked so gorgeous in her gold gown, which closely matched the design of her mother's. Sasha was surrounded by beautiful women on the morning of her wedding and she had no complaints.

"You nervous?" Pam asked.

"I wasn't at first, but then I put this dress on and that all changed. This damn waist trainer won't let me breathe." She wiggled in the dress, touching her sides.

Pam grinned and gently patted Sasha's arm. She knew first-hand how her friend felt. "Don't worry babe. You'll be fine," she assured her. "If it makes you feel any better, Joe's feeling the exact same way."

The mention of her very-soon-to-be husband sprouted a school of butterflies in her belly. Today was the first time all week that they would be seeing each other, having been kept out of each other's sight as per the common nuptial tradition. Every second spent away from him was agonizing but on the bright side, the next time they met, they would be moments away from finally becoming husband and wife.

There was a knock on the door, and Sika poked his head in, smiling widely at the two women. "Ladies. Pardon the interruption."

"_Manuia le taeao, tama_." _Good morning, Dad._ She'd been actively learning Samoan, and it never got old seeing Sika's face light up when she spoke in his mother tongue. "Is everything okay?" She looked at him expectantly. He was supposed to be helping out with Joe and like his son, she'd barely seen him all week.

"Everything is fine. I've been sent here by the groom to give this to you." Hobbling into the bedroom, he handed Sasha a wrapped box with a card attached to it. "It's almost time for you to start heading out," he said.

"Are the boys gone already?" Sasha asked.

"Not yet, but most of the guests on their way to the church. Don't tell him I told you, but your soon-to-be husband is a bit of a wreck. I think that will all change once he sees you." He took Sasha's hand and held her at arm's length, his gaze soft and approving. "You're going to take his breath away."

His touching words warmed the cockles of her heart. "_Fa'afetai_. Thank you, Sir. He took mine away a long time ago. I gave Patricia his present earlier this morning."

"I know. And speaking of presents, I almost forgot to thank you for the hearty breakfast you had delivered to our suites this morning," Sika smiled, referring to himself and the groomsmen, all of whom stayed one floor below Sasha and the rest of the bridal train at the hotel for the weekend.

"Well, my boys gotta eat." Sasha grinned and kissed his cheek. "Tell Joe I'll be at the church in a few minutes. I'll be the one in ivory and lace."

Sika left, and Sasha walked closer to the window to open the gift. Joe really did enjoy spoiling her. As if flying all their loved ones out to Pensacola for their wedding wasn't enough, he'd given her little gifts every day this week, including these last three days they spent apart. On the envelope of the card, she recognized his handwriting.

_Open the box first, then read the note._

Giggling at her bossy man, Sasha unwrapped the white paper and revealed a small navy blue box. Inside, nestled in the satin, was a pair of pear-shaped diamond earrings, with teardrop sapphires dangling in the center. Wow. Leaning against the wall, she opened the card to read it.

_Ku'u nani,_

_As you read this, you are hours away from becoming my wife. I can't express to you how honored I am that you are mine. I can't wait to see you, and I can't wait to finally become your husband._

_I love you Sasha, with everything that I am._

_\- Joe_

Reading the note over Sasha's shoulder, Pam smiled, then took the box from her. "Come on. Let's put these on." She helped her put on the new earrings, observing Sasha's suddenly quiet demeanor as she stared out the window. "You alright?" she prodded.

Her voice seemed to do the trick, as the bride blinked rapidly and gave a quick shake of her head, snapping out of her trance. "I'm fine. I just…" Inhaling a shaky breath, she turned to Pam, her eyes glistening. "Pamela, tell me this isn't a dream," she pleaded, clutching the other woman's hand in both of hers. "Tell me the last three years were real…that I'm not gonna wake up and discover it was all in my head."

Holding up Sasha's hand where her diamond engagement ring rested, another band soon to join it, Pam's smile was gentle and confident. "It ain't in your head, baby. This is very real. You're about to marry the man you've always dreamed of, the man you've always deserved. And you're gonna spend the rest of your life with him and your kids and that big-ass house y'all about to move into. And you two will stay happy and healthy and hopefully make some pretty, curly-haired Samoan babies for Imani to play with." She reached out to adjust Sasha's train. "And you better make 'em quick; that boy got great hair."

Laughing at the comment, Sasha looked at her friend, emotion brimming inside her. "We did good, Pam-Pam. You and me."

At those words, Pam ceased her preening to meet her friend's eyes, her smile watery. "We did, Sash. Against all odds. I'm so proud of us. Our mamas would be so proud."

Her voice was thick with tears, and Sasha put her arms around her in a big, warm hug. She owed Pam so much; the girl she struck a bond with in the seventh grade all those years ago thanks to their obsession with Janet Jackson and the desire to make life better for their single mothers; the girl that took her in after her mother's death without a second thought; who kept in touch when she was in college and spent every break helping her take care of T.K.; the woman who never left her side through the good and the bad. A lifetime would not be enough to repay her for everything she'd done for her, but Sasha would keep trying.

Pam pulled out of the hug, making a face as she ran a finger underneath her left eye. "Ugh. You made me cry now. Don't make me have to whoop your ass on your wedding day."

"You love me too much to do that," Sasha pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Don't test me. Now let's go before we both ruin our makeup. I paid for that shit, ya know."

* * *

Joe hissed and shifted his weight for what felt like the thousand time, tugging the edge of his collar with his finger. "Did someone turn off the air conditioning or what?" he muttered, "It's fuckin' hot."

"Naw, man," Colby chuckled next to him, "That's just your body telling you that you wanna hurl."

Frankly, his best friend had a point, but before his body threatened to make good on the unpleasant foresight, the Samoan curbed himself. As he watched the people stroll into the church and take their seats and felt his nerves ratchet up a little higher, he knew could not afford to humiliate himself and subsequently ruin this day. His and Sasha's wedding day. _His_ wedding day.

Holy shit.

Even after wading through months of preparation, it only just sank in this morning, as he stood in front of the mirror at his parents' place adjusting the jacket of his grey tuxedo, that he was getting married. It seemed like only yesterday that Sasha said yes to his proposal. Following that glorious day, his world revolved around planning their wedding; it was all flowers and food and suits and songs and venues and vows. All of it jumbled up with the usual controlled chaos that he called work. Over the phone, emails and in person, he and Sasha pored over plans and ideas for the ceremony. Each time he returned to Tampa he got dragged to some vendor by Sasha or his mother, sometimes both, and proceeded to be outnumbered in whatever decision was to be made.

The main deliberation had been over the type of ceremony they wanted. Sasha was keen on a Catholic Church wedding. He preferred a beach wedding, and the debate went on for weeks until Joe's brother Matt came forward with a solution. It turned out they could both have what they wanted thanks to a small church situated on the outskirts of Pensacola, which was a walking distance from Pensacola beach, with a backdrop perfect for post-ceremony photo opportunities. Joe would never forget that visit; the chills that ran down his spine, the expression on Sasha's face when they stood together in front of the altar in the church. And here he stood again, heart pounding and palms sweating, feeling like he would pass out if they didn't get started with the ceremony already.

Truth be told, he didn't need a big wedding. Each of his siblings had done that already. But he went along with it because he wanted Sasha to have the wedding of her dreams. He'd promised to give her everything she wanted within his power and he wasn't about to renege it now. The look on her face at the church was worth it, and it was enough to propel him through the rest of the planning. His sisters, Patricia, Pam and Reggie's wife Cheryl did most of the legwork, from the food to the venue to the number of people attending the reception. Reggie's boys from the Grill, Nick and Wayne, handled security, another important aspect. All Joe had left to do was try on the grey tux Sasha had picked out for him, while listening to Jon and Colby whine about having to wear full-on tuxedos for the occasion. And then there was the dress.

At one point in time Joe feared Sasha was going to literally talk his ear off with endless details of every trip to all these stores and tailors in search of the perfect wedding dress. God forbid he wasn't listening to her either. Then, just when he was sure it would never end…silence. Suddenly, trying to fish out details about the dress was like trying to break into Fort Knox. Sasha, Pam, Mia and Patricia were the only ones who had seen the dress and had it, along with their lips, under lock and key. His mother actually ended up taking the dress to Pensacola with her, that was how much of a closely guarded secret it was. It was bizarre, but it was what it was, he supposed. As long as Sasha got what she wanted, it was fine with him.

What could he say? She was the boss now.

His grey gaze flickered from one groomsman to the other as Jon came up behind Colby, his hands in his dark pants pockets, wearing a smile that made Joe suspicious. "What's with the creepy face Ambrose?" he demanded. Judging from how relaxed everyone else seemed, he was convinced he was the only one feeling as nervous as he did.

"The girls have arrived," Jon said, his smile widening as he looked to the groom. "I just saw Sash, man," he added, letting out a low whistle.

Joe could only imagine. She looked beautiful every day of the week but today felt like it was going to be so much more amplified. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they'd barely seen each other all week, and hadn't been intimate for even longer. The fact that Jon got to catch a glimpse of her before he did made it a little more grating. "Quit ogling my fiancée," he growled.

"Don't you mean wife?" Colby emphasized, wiggling his eyebrows with a shrug, "I mean, you might as well. It's gonna be official in a mere matter of minutes."

Very true. The thought sent a fresh myriad of thrill and nerves through him. Unwittingly, his fingers brushed over the folded piece of paper in his pocket. Lord knew how much time he had spent trying to perfect the words contained in that paper, writing and re-writing them on plane rides and bus rides and in the privacy of hotel rooms. Words that in reality would never truly suffice to express his feelings for the woman that had his heart. But he would try, with words as well as actions, today and for the rest of his life.

He thought about her to calm his nerves. She'd stayed at the hotel with her bridesmaids while he spent the weekend at his parents' house. Their separation was only for a couple of days but it felt like longer. He ached to see her, to hold her in his arms and kiss her. To finally make her his wife. Raising one hand, he smiled at the sterling silver cufflinks adorning his sleeve. Her wedding gift to him. He'd told her not to get him anything but of course her stubborn little self wouldn't take no for an answer. He recalled the note she'd sent with it, spritzed with her favorite perfume. One whiff and it was like she was right there beside him as he read the note:

_Joe,_

_I know you said you didn't want a gift, but I couldn't help myself. I chose this particular gift because it represents an important accessory to a man, and it's a necessary part of a fashionable man's life. You have become not just the most important part of my life, but my life itself, and I thank you in advance for the many years of happiness we are about to experience together. I can't believe that in a few short hours you will be truly mine, just as I am yours and always have been._

_I love you with all my heart, baby. Thank you for choosing me to share your life with._

_Love,_

_Your wife._

_P.S. I can't wait to kiss you. X_

God, he loved that woman so much.

The church was getting full as the ceremony was due to start any time from now. Jon and Colby patted Joe's back and wished him good luck before disappearing to take their places on the train. Joe looked out and saw Elgin and his parents slide into a pew and settle down, baby Imani in his lap. He was glad to see how strong the other man looked after a hellacious year battling cancer. To his right, an injured Josh was being guided into his seat by his wife Gianna and his father Rikishi, little Brandon sitting happily between his parents. At the very front, his own parents and his three siblings were already seated. He caught his mother's watery gaze, noting the tissue in her tight grasp, and had to fight back tears of his own. He made a mental note not to make eye contact with her again for both their sakes. Sika had an arm around her and nodded in encouragement to him, which only clenched his stomach. Willing away his nerves, he took deep breath. Forced himself to relax. And for a moment, he did.

But then the song started, and his insides tightened again.

The congregation rose, anticipation simmering in the air as they all turned to back of the church, cameras and phones in hand, as the Piano Guys' cover of Christina Perri's song 'A Thousand Years' serenaded the church. Mia was first down the aisle, a crown of flowers on her head as she sprinkled rose petals along the aisle. Angie and Colby followed her, then Jon and Amber were behind them, with Jonny and Trin bringing up the rear. As the guys took their positions next to him, he felt his heart beat a little faster. The suspense was unbearable. Where the hell was she?

_One step closer…_

Right as the song picked up, a figure in white appeared. Joe felt his heart screech to a halt and the rest of the world blur into oblivion.

Walking down the aisle, accompanied by his best man T.K., was the most mesmerizing sight he had ever laid eyes on. Sasha's gown outlined every curve of her body, the rest of the material flowing backwards into Pam's careful hands. The sleeves were a beautiful work of embroidery that brought an added beauty to the dress. She was wearing the diamond earrings he got her. He had to exhale, had to swallow back the tears climbing up his throat. She was so beautiful, so fucking flawless. He watched her clutch her bouquet a little more firmly and her gorgeous eyes dart around, smiling in greeting at the people she passed by. Finally, her eyes met his, and he smirked when he saw her full lips part, her gaze raking over him appreciatively.

Hell yeah. Right back at her.

"Who gives this woman to this man?" the priest asked.

"On behalf of myself and my sister Mia, I do." T.K. responded, earning wistful sighs from some of the guests, touched to see the son give away his mother. Kissing Sasha's cheek, T.K. placed her hand in Joe's, nodding at the older man before stepping away from the couple. The moment they touched, Joe felt the hit straight to his gut. Happened every single time. He was drawn to her in ways he never knew possible, and he knew he would never tire of the feeling he got whenever she was near him.

"Baby girl, you look so beautiful," he whispered to her, grinning when she blushed and looked up at him through her long dark lashes.

"You look amazing," she whispered back. The priest had started speaking but all she could do was stare at him, the way he filled that grey suit so well, thoroughly enjoying the way he stared right back in that intense manner he never grew out of. His thumb caressed the back of her hand, the gesture never failing to massage away her nerves. She hadn't seen him, hadn't felt his touch, in days. It felt so good. All of this felt so good, so right.

He couldn't stop looking at her. So beautiful, from her perfectly coiffed hair down to the hemline of her amazing dress. He liked the subtly of her makeup, nothing too wild but she stood out nonetheless. Her cleavage looked terrific, inviting him to bend down and run his tongue along the décolletage. Shaking off the dirty thoughts in his head, he peered over her shoulder when she looked to the priest, catching sight of the veil pinned to the back of her bun and cascading down behind her. His eyes traced the fluid lines of her waist and hips, lingering on her fantastic-looking ass. It had been a contentious issue when she announced one day that she wanted to shed a few pounds for the wedding. He wasn't thrilled about it and he let her know so. She looked perfect to him already. Two months into her crusade, she asked him for feedback, and laughed when, without saying a word, he looked her over, felt up her backside and nodded his approval. Her ass was still nice and round, so therefore all was right in Joe's world.

"And now, the couple would like to read their vows."

And as easily as his nerves had subsided over the past few minutes, they came rushing back just as quickly. His features paled as reluctantly, he released Sasha's hand to reach back into his pocket and gloss over the lines one final time. Big bad, trash-talking Roman Reigns who had no issue addressing ten thousand WWE fans, was now balking at the thought of speaking in front of fifty loved ones. But it was justified. This was a different kettle of fish. He could shrug off a flub on Raw or Smackdown or even WrestleMania. It would eat at him forever if he messed up even one line of the most important words he would ever say, on the most special day of his life.

So with that in mind, he got his head back in the game, refocused. "Sasha…_nani_…" He trailed off, locking eyes with her tear-filled ones, "I've told anyone who'll listen how I felt the first time we met. The connection between us was so immediate, so powerful and deep and beyond human description. Fast forward nearly three years and I still feel the exact same way about you. You've become my lover and my friend. You're my mentor, my confidante, my inspiration, the person who lifts me up but still keeps me grounded…Your beauty takes my breath away. Your strength, heart and mind motivate me every day to be a better man. I will love you, respect you, honor you, and remain faithful to you for all eternity, and I will always be there for you and for Mia and Tyson. I'm in love with you. I'm in love with us. And I will never break that bond between us, not if I can help it." Smiling softly, he took her right hand and pressed it to the left side of his chest. "Here lies my heart, Sasha. It belongs to you. It beats for you, and it will beat its final beat for you and only you."

Sasha couldn't resist. She lifted her free hand and placed it on his shaven cheek, gently stroking his face. If her heart swelled any bigger it would burst. Closing her eyes for a moment, refreshing her memory, she swallowed hard and looked up at her man.

"Joe…you are the love of my life. You are the love I never believed existed until you bumped, quite literally, into my life." They both chuckled, then she cleared her throat, looking into his eyes. "You opened my heart and taught me how to trust again; that it's okay to take that dive, that leap of faith that I was always so afraid to take. You've shown me so much of myself that I knew nothing about. You are so special to me. I don't know where I'd be today if it wasn't for you. You told me once before that I saved you, but baby, _you_ saved _me_."

Her voice started to crack, and she had to pause to rein in her emotions. The look on Joe's face broke her heart, as his grey orbs watered, a tear actually escaping from one. Luckily her thumb was there already, catching it before it could slip further down his cheek. All around them she could hear sniffles, escalating the already emotional moment. Taking one more second to compose herself, she soldiered on. "I love how selflessly you love, how loyal you are to your family and friends. Your strength and passion inspire me. I learn so much from you, and every day I fall deeper in love with you. I promise to never stop loving you, to always believe in you and support your hopes and dreams, to always be there whenever you need me. Whether it's a phone call or FaceTime or even in person…no matter where you are in the world, you call on me and I'll come runnin'. I would move mountains for you if you asked. I will work every day towards being the wife and ally you deserve. _Aloha au ia 'oe_." She smiled with relief at the huge grin on his face. She guessed she hadn't butchered the Hawaiian phrase too badly. "I love you Leati, deeply and unconditionally, now, forever and beyond."

The love and joy dancing in her eyes, the sincerity in the words she spoke to him, caused goosebumps to sprout on Joe's arms. He wanted so badly to grab her by the waist and kiss her silly. To know she loved him as deeply as he loved her, that the whole world now knew of it, was the most gratifying sensation. There was more depth now, more strength to their bond that would never be broken.

"Could I have the rings?" the priest asked. T.K. stepped up, handing a small box to him. Two white-gold wedding bands lay inside, each designed intricately around the circumference and engraved on the inside with the other's name. The priest gave the smaller ring to Joe and the bigger one to Sasha, and the Samoan took her hand, his gaze unwavering as he sealed his vow to her.

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I Joseph, give you, Sasha, this ring as a symbol of my unending love and devotion to you. With this ring, I pledge to you all that I have and all that I am, till the end of my days." His voice shook towards the end, as he pushed the wedding band onto her small finger, next to her engagement ring. Sasha repeated the promise as she slid Joe's ring through his finger, barely getting the words out as her throat clogged with emotion.

The priest smiled at the couple and looked out into the congregation. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."

It was the moment both had been itching for. Sasha inched closer to Joe, smiling giddily as he wrapped his arms around her, dipping her a little. Her fingers traced the nape of his neck, and she heard the low groan escape him as he leaned down and swept his lips over hers. She kissed him back heartily, a thrill rushing up her spine as he held her tightly. Neither heard the loud applause nor saw the standing ovation from everyone in attendance, too wrapped up in their loving embrace.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Anoa'i!"

* * *

Following a half-hour of post-ceremony photos at the nearby beach, the party finally made its way over to the reception. They were back at the country club where Joe's parents had their anniversary party. Once again, Cassie had hit a home run. A beautiful lavender theme was picked for the ballroom, tastefully strewn around the ceiling and on the seats and the tables scattered around the enormous room. The lights were tinged in lavender as well. Large bouquets of roses with touches of lavender were placed in the center of each table, and lavender was draped across the entire length of the wedding top table.

"Have I told you how hot you look right now?"

Settled in her comfy personalized chair, Sasha took a sip of champagne and grinned up at Joe. "Yes, baby. About a dozen times at the beach." It was one of the most romantic experiences of her life. Surrounded by sand, sea and family, they couldn't stop kissing and touching and whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears the entire photoshoot. The scenic beach setting made it more amorous and special, and Sasha had no doubt the pictures would come out beautifully. It was a great decision choosing the church by the beach.

"Well, I'ma say it again. Damn, girl," Joe said, running one massive hand along her crossed thigh as he gazed longingly at her.

"I knew you'd like the dress the moment I tried it on."

"You were right. You look great all the time but…wow." He leaned closer to her to so she could hear him above the music and the clattering of cutlery. "I couldn't stop staring at your tits during the ceremony," he whispered. "I mean, they were just out there, like pow! Calling my name…"

Sasha laughed at him blatantly staring down her cleavage. "Behave. People are watching," she prompted him, glancing around at all the guests spread out before them, most occupied with their food. The ballroom was full now, as other guests had arrived; Sasha's co-workers, employees and even customers from Reggie's Bar &amp; Grill, most of the WWE locker room and dozens of Joe's family members.

Raising his champagne to his lips, Joe went on. "I had plans to drag you off right after the service and have my wicked way with you, ya know," he said. "I woulda taken you right there in the back of the church, locked us up in a confessional booth or somethin'."

Her mouth fell open in a gasp, incredulous. "Joe!" She glanced both ways down the length of the top table, hoping no one caught that impious statement.

"You can't blame me. That's what looking at your beautiful body does to me." His hand drifted further up her thigh.

Blushing deeply, Sasha caught his wandering hand and turned her head to the side so she could whisper in his ear. "Easy, big boy. We got each other all to ourselves this week."

"Trust me, I'm looking forward to it." His voice got even lower, huskier. "I can't wait to get my hands on you, baby. Best believe I'ma run my tongue along every inch of your skin, fuck you nice and slow with my tongue and then with my dick..." Taking advantage of his face shielded from the public, he nipped her earlobe, smirking when her breath hitched. He leaned back and calmly sipped some more champagne. "Yeah, that's right. You better get ready."

Beside Joe, T.K. rose to his feet and retrieved the microphone from the reception's MC. He tapped the microphone long enough to get everyone's attention, and then cleared his throat. "Forgive my nervousness, I've never cut a promo in front of this many people before," he announced, to ripples of laughter from the guests. "Family, friends, relatives, and guests, good afternoon. For those of you who do not know me, my name's T.K., the bride's beloved son and the groom's best man. On their behalf, I would like to welcome you all to this wonderful reception. I would also like to express my gratitude to you all for being here. I know it means a lot to my mom and to Joe that you found the time to be here to share this joyous occasion as they embark on a new journey in their lives.

"My mother is the most incredible woman in the world. She sacrificed so much for me and my sister, breaking her back to make sure there was food on the table and a roof over our heads. As Joe can attest to, I'm very protective of her, but I only want the best for her, at life and at love, just like any other child would want for their parent and vice versa. And now, she has the best in Joe." He cast his gaze to his mother, whose eyes shone with tears. "Mama, I am so happy for you. You deserve to have this chance at love because you're the best mom ever. You have always been there for me, always supported me through the good and bad times, and I appreciate everything you've ever done for me. To see the smile on your face today is the best feeling a son could ever have.

"And to Joe." He smiled at the Samoan. "I've gotten to know you over the last few years. You've gone from being my idol to becoming my mentor, my friend and my big brother. Thank you for loving my mother, for showing her she can and should be loved the way she truly deserves. All I ask is that you take good care of her. Love her as deeply as she loves you, and please don't give up on each other. I pray that your love remains strong so that no matter how difficult things get you guys will find a way to work it out, like you always have."

A round of applause echoed around the room. For what felt like the thousandth time today, Sasha wiped her eyes, and she blew a kiss to T.K., receiving a grin in return. Her beautiful, beautiful boy. She was so proud of him and of the young man he had become.

"That being said, I'd like everyone to join me and raise your glasses to the new Mr. and Mrs. Joe Anoa'i. I love you both, and I wish you all the love and happiness in the world."

The sound of scraping chairs ensued as the entire room rose to their feet, raising their glasses along with T.K. to toast the couple. Both bride and groom beamed from ear to ear, his arm wrapped around her shoulders and her hand on his knee. She grinned at him, giggling softly when he lowered his lips to hers in a quick kiss.

The upbeat song being played by the DJ faded away to a much slower affair. The MC spoke again. "We now invite our couple of the day to the dance floor; it's time for your first dance."

Sasha rose from her seat, and she glanced to her left to see Pam smiling slyly at her. "This is where I remind you there's no bumpin' and grindin' in first dances," she said, her eyes twinkling.

"Shut up," Sasha laughed, her cheeks warming as she allowed Joe to lead her to the dance floor to a round of applause. He raised their joined hands over her head, and she rotated in a graceful twirl before gliding back to him. Their fingers rested together over his heart. She laid her head on his chest, sighing deeply as they began slowly swaying along to the ballad.

_From this moment life has begun  
From this moment you are the one  
Right beside you is where I belong  
From this moment on_

It would have been inaccurate to say they chose the classic Shania song; if anything, the song picked them. It was the morning of the Survivor Series pay-per-view a few months back, and the couple was cuddling in bed in their hotel room, forced to listen to Ambrose's country playlist on Spotify while he showered. The song then came on, catching their attention, and one could hear a pin drop as they listened attentively to every word. As the song came to an end, they turned to each other, raising their arms to show off identical goosebumps. The song was perfect in every way, and Sasha felt it now; the shiver dancing down her spine as the world began to fade away, until there was no one but the man holding her.

_From this moment I have been blessed  
I live only for your happiness  
And for your love I give my last breath  
From this moment on_

A calm lull ebbed through Joe as he rotated with Sasha in the middle of the dance floor. All of his attention was on her, her body curled into his, her head on his shoulder, his hand splayed over the lace covering her lower back holding her close. He dipped his nose into her hair and inhaled deeply, absorbing the familiar coconut scent, absorbing her. He shifted when her head tilted up, and his insides swooped at her gentle, content smile.

"I love you," she mouthed.

His gaze softened. A verbal response would not suffice. He lowered his face to hers, pressed his lips to the tip of her nose and then her lips.

_I give my hand to you with all my heart  
I can't wait to live my life with you I can't wait to start  
You and I will never be apart  
My dreams came true because of you_

He felt Sasha melt when he kissed her. Her arms shifted to wind around his thick neck, her tongue touching his lips so she could deepen the kiss. He complied happily, sliding his hand further up her back to hold her against him. He was drugged by her sweet lips, intoxicated by her sensational kisses. He could do this all day, he really could. Luckily, he would get to do this forever.

_From this moment, as long as I live  
I will love you, I promise you this  
There is nothing I wouldn't give  
From this moment on_

Through the haze of the intimate moment, something clicked in Sasha's brain, reminding her that they were indeed not alone. She managed to break the kiss, breathless but aching for more. The song continued to swell around them and she looked over to the top table. Patricia was a mess, dabbing a tissue over her eyes as she leaned against Sika. T.K. had his arm around Angie, who swayed to the tempo of the song, a dreamy look on her face. Colby and Jon raised their glasses. Mia was grinning from ear to ear. But it was Pam's expression that wrenched Sasha's heart. Tears flowed openly down the chief bridesmaid's cheeks as she blew a kiss to her best friend, nodding her endorsement. Sasha glanced back up and Joe, returning his soft, knowing smile, her eyelids fluttering shut when he brushed his lips against her forehead.

_You're the reason I believe in love  
And you're the answer to my prayers from up above  
All we need is just the two of us  
My dreams came true because of you_

The song soon faded into another round of wild clapping from the guests. But Joe and Sasha had tuned out the rest of the world, still wrapped around each other, looking into each other's eyes.

"I love you," said Sasha, her voice breaking.

"I love you too," Joe whispered back, pecking her lips.

"Alright you two!" Colby barged between the couple, throwing an arm around each of them. "Enough with the mushy stuff; let's dance!"

From then on, the reception was a full-on party, the music pumping and the drinks flowing. Instead of a wedding cake, Cassie presented a cake buffet of specialty flavors, and the novel idea went down a storm. The bouquet toss ended with Amber beating out all the other single ladies. Joe had insisted on doing a garter toss, and Sasha almost liquefied with both lust and embarrassment when he slowly slid the garter off her right leg with his teeth, making eye contact with her the whole time. She didn't dare look into the probably mortified faces of T.K. and Patricia. She knew though, that Pam was euphoric. Joe tossed the garter out, which was caught inadvertently by Claudio. The dancing and merrymaking went on late into the evening, capping off what turned out to be a memorable day for everyone.

* * *

"I fuckin' hate flying."

"I know."

"I don't know how you do it all the time. It's scary being so high up in the air. You have no control over anything," griped Sasha.

It was the morning after their magical wedding, and they were on their way to their Hawaii honeymoon courtesy of Dwayne's private plane – his wedding gift to them. The couple had a bleary-eyed start to their day; after such a rocking reception, the new bride and groom stumbled into their suite and only managed to undress, crawl into bed and pass out, sleeping for only a few hours before they had to be up for the nine-hour-long flight. Sasha swapped her wedding gown for a more relaxed, loose grey draped dress with braided shoulder straps. Her hair was swept to one side over her shoulder. As usual she looked amazing, but right now she was feeling the complete opposite.

"It's not so bad," Joe tried to placate her, but her tightened grip on his hand gave away her disagreement. "Relax, baby. I'm here."

"Distract me," she said. "Talk to me."

"I can't stop thinking about how awesome you were yesterday. Your vows were beautiful. You looked perfect in your dress." He paused when her fingers clenched his, her face pressed to his shoulder as the plane raced down the runway and lifted off the ground. "Hey, hey, breathe. Deep breath."

Sasha dragged in a shaky breath and let it out.

"Again." Rubbing her arm up and down, he kissed her hair. "I'm right here _nani. _I got you, just breathe."

Despite her predicament, she really loved him at this moment. His voice was calming her and as the plane gained altitude and evened out, so did her heart rate.

Joe chuckled, taking it all in in amusement. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You know, you did say in your vows that no matter where I am in the world you'll come running," he reminded her with a smirk. "You know you're gonna be doing most of it by plane, right?"

"I know," she acknowledged. "But it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for my husband."

Husband. Wow, that felt so strange to hear, and yet so wonderful. They looked at each other in silence, digesting this new change. "Your husband," Joe repeated, his voice quivering a little as he traced a finger down her bare arm. "My wife."

"Mrs. Sasha Henrietta Anoa'i," she announced, loving the way his eyes brightened. "Has a nice ring to it, huh?"

His lips met her temple once again. "It sounds perfect."

"I agree," Sasha nodded. "So tell me. Fill me in on what we're gonna do in Hawaii."

"There's lots of things we're gonna do. Hang out at the beach, see the sights, go wakeboarding."

"Sounds awesome already. What else?"

"Oh yeah. You're not wearing any clothes on our honeymoon."

Sasha burst out laughing. "Say what?"

"You heard me. You'll be naked twenty-four seven, and I'm gonna fuck you on every surface of our bungalow."

Sasha felt her loins moisten.

"There's this waterfall I first visited when I was a kid," Joe carried on. "I go back there every chance I get whenever I come to the Big Island. The scenery there is super beautiful, you're gonna love it."

"So I've heard."

"Uh huh. We'll hike up into the caves behind the waterfall. The water there is shallow, so we can swim if you want. The rocks are nice and smooth." He curled a lock of her hair in his finger. "You're gonna ride my dick on those rocks."

Sasha stared hard at him. "I wanna ride your dick right now." Unbuckling her seatbelt, she flung one leg over his lap and straddled him. His eyebrows rose in surprise but he grabbed her waist nonetheless. She gripped his well-groomed face in both hands and kissed him like her life depended on it. She felt his hands run up and down her back, and she grinded on him. Joe moaned at the action, and had to pull back to get back his breath, but that only made way for Sasha to find his neck with her mouth. "Damn," he murmured, dazed.

She pulled back up, and her grin was slow and lazy. "I kiss good, huh?" she taunted, nibbling his lower lip before going for his neck again.

Joe fished inside her dress, slipping a hand between her thighs. She gasped against his neck as he rubbed her folds, gathering her wetness with his fingers. "Nice and wet as always, _nani_," he commented, putting one finger in his mouth and smiling at what he tasted. Gently pulling her hair, he pushed the other finger between her lips, biting his own as he watched her suck her essence off the digit.

Her eyes fluttered shut, her ample chest heaving with need. "It's been so long, baby. I want you."

Four weeks too long. But he was going to rectify that starting now. He reached between them and unbuckled his seatbelt, lifting her easily, his hands planted firmly on her ass. Her legs wrapped automatically around his waist and she clung to him.

"Where are we going?" she murmured.

"Bedroom."

Bedroom? On a plane? Wow. "What's wrong with the chair we were in?" She leaned down and bit his earlobe.

"I ain't givin' the flight attendant a fuckin' show," he growled.

"Oh."

He carried her to the rear of the plane and through a door into a small room with a double bed, decked with inviting linens and soft fluffy pillows in shades of gold and green. Joe brought Sasha closer to the bed and set her down, staring lovingly at his beautiful new wife.

"I've never had sex on a plane before," he blurted, his cheeks flushing a faint pink that she found adorable.

She grinned widely at his out-of-the-blue confession. "Me neither."

Closing the gap between their mouths once more, he kissed her again. "We were too tired last night, so this morning, in this bed, I'm gonna make sweet love to you. I'm gonna fuck the shit outta you. I'm gonna lick you and touch you and make you feel so good you can't think straight, and after we're done I'm gonna hold you and kiss you and caress you. You're my wife, Sasha, and you need to know how happy I am that I get to make love to you for the rest of my life."

Ho. Ly. Shit. Sasha was seconds away from melting into nothingness. Her breathing was heavier by the time he finished speaking. She ran her fingers lightly through his dark hair, loosening the knot at the nape of his neck so the tresses tumbled down his back. She gazed into his grey eyes and couldn't help but wonder what she did to deserve this man. "You're so beautiful," she whispered. "You turn me on so much."

He smiled and planted a feather-light kiss on her forehead. "Likewise, baby," he answered, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Come closer, _nani_. Let me undress you."

She did as he asked, standing before him, loving that he was tall enough that even in this position they were practically at eye-level. He started by dragging his palms up her waist, at the sides of her breasts and along her arms. His fingers ghosted over her skin on her shoulders, hooking them through the straps of her dress, sliding them down her frame until the dress floated to the ground in a pool of grey. His eyes dilated, pleased to see she was naked save for a teeny, tiny white string protecting her most intimate part, and his dick sprang to life, straining through his pants. He cupped her breasts, scooping each rock-hard nipple in his mouth, and smiled when a little purr escaped her lips. His hands made their way down her stomach, and Sasha moaned as his lips followed the path his hands took along her caramel skin. His hands glided over her backside, stopping to squeeze the two round mounds of flesh. "This big-ass chocolate booty. All fuckin' mine," he grunted, his dick stirring again at the thought.

Sasha giggled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I swear you only wifed me for my ass."

He didn't answer, too busy with his exploration, his hands sliding around her thighs and tracing along her sex. Her giggling was gone now, replaced by short, heavy expulsions of breaths, her eyes darkening just like his. She crashed her mouth to his, and Joe palmed the back of her neck, returning the kiss with wanton vigor. She fumbled with his shirt until she pulled it off him and threw it aside, then bent low to lick his left nipple. The action dragged a moan out of him, so she slid her tongue over the other and flicked it until it was hard and he was squirming. Without warning, she shoved him in the chest, laughing at his surprised grunt as he hit the bed back-first. He started to sit up, but Sasha pushed him again. "Stay down," she instructed.

He glared petulantly at her, but didn't move after that.

"Good boy." She knelt in front of him by the bed and unbuckled his belt, pulling off his pants. She did the same to his briefs and heard his breath catch when her hand closed around his dick, and she slashed her tongue over the swollen head. Joe watched her intently, brushing her hair aside to improve the enticing view. The hand not gripping her hair was behind his head. She continued to suck him; not too hard, but enough to get his attention. "Now this is my favorite wedding present," she murmured, her tongue laving the underside of his shaft while her other hand scooped his balls, rolling them back and forth in her palm.

"Shit, that feels so fuckin'-" Joe started to say, but when she bore down on him, taking his entire length in her throat, he forgot everything he wanted to say. Sasha pulled back quickly, saliva trailing from her mouth, breathing hard as she massaged him with her fist, loving the way it hardened in her grip. She wrapped her lips around him again, reveling in the long, loud groan that spilled from his lips. Her eyes found his grey ones; dark with desire, hot and narrowed with pleasure. His mouth hung open, panting, his whole body heaving. It was sexy as hell that she could turn him on like this.

Joe was on cloud nine, literally and figuratively. Christ, she looked damn beautiful, her lips swollen from sucking him, her eyes glazed over with passion. He liked watching her play with him, loved the intense heat of her mouth, and when she pressed down one more time, his tip grazing the back of her throat, he thought he was going to explode right then.

Fuck. If he didn't stop her, he _would_ explode. Hard.

Pushing himself up, he grabbed her and dragged her into the bed, all the way up the length of his body until she was sitting on his face. Taken by surprise, Sasha barely had time to recollect herself as Joe ripped her G-string away. She squealed at the lash of his long, wet tongue inside her that followed the smack on her ass. "Fuck, oh fuck!" she rasped, grabbing onto a pillow.

Letting out a low moan, Joe thrust his tongue deep, licking and sucking her with gusto. She tasted incredible, like always. He felt her body arch against him as he flicked his tongue rapidly inside her ass, then back to her pussy, inhaling the sweet aroma of her arousal. Sasha had to bite down on her lip to keep from crying out. Most times she got nervous about sitting on his face, for fear, rather morbidly, of her weight suffocating him while he pleasured her. But Joe had no complaints at all, holding her down on his face and happily eating her out like his favorite dessert. She moaned when he sought out her clit, licking and nipping it with his teeth, then gifted her with more slow, long licks along her pussy. Her taste flooded his mouth, and he groaned, heady with desire, keeping up his onslaught with his mouth while he gripped her hips. His other hand kept busy, stroking his throbbing dick in rhythm with her husky groans.

The foreplay only made the new bride hungry for the real thing. She crawled back down his body and guided his hardness inside her in impressive quickness. Joe groaned at the wetness that greeted his dick. He watched her ride him, quick and shallow, fucking him without fully settling over him.

"Don't tease, baby. All the way down," he commanded. "Swallow that dick with your pussy."

She licked her lips in response, and then eased lower down on his erection, her naughty smile dissolving into a groan. "Mmm babe, did you get bigger?" she asked.

"I wish I could say yes. You're definitely tighter. Fuck," he moaned. She kept one knee pressed to his side and propped her other leg up on the bed, spreading herself wider for his viewing pleasure. Joe gripped the sheets by his sides and watched his wife rock up and down his dick, her small hands splayed over his broad chest to steady herself, her full, succulent lips parted and panting in ecstasy.

"That's it baby girl, ride my fuckin' dick like that. Fuck me," he encouraged, caressing her propped leg, feeling it tense with exertion, her tits swaying as she bounced on top of him. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her ass which he gladly slapped and squeezed, and she groaned with pleasure as his other hand plucked her breast, stimulating her some more. Joe's grey eyes fluttered shut, losing himself in the feel of her pussy working him, her fingernails scraping his chest, the sounds of her groaning. He could feel the rapidly reducing friction between them, and his head raised off the bed again, his dilated eyes landing on the spot where their bodies joined, and he almost passed out. "Fuuuuck baby, you're creamin' all over my dick," he panted.

"Fuck yeah, you feel soooo good, babe," she whined. Her milky essence trickled down his length, causing him to slide so effortlessly in and out of her that he had to jam a knuckle into his mouth to keep from moaning loud enough for even the pilot to hear. His hand slid from her breast and into her hair, pulling her body down so their foreheads met. He whispered to her, taunted her, smacked her ass in encouragement, and his effort paid off as Sasha shifted into a full crouching position and pistoned her hips, riding him harder. He tossed his head back with a loud moan, his eyes rolling back as she slammed down on his dick repeatedly, taking him deep inside her, and paused now and again to grind on him, her walls clenching around his length the whole time.

As both lost themselves in the violent maelstrom of ecstasy, Joe could sense she was close from her raspier, more rapid breathing. He rolled them over, then slid off the bed and dragged her ass to the edge. Pushing her legs down to her chest, he gripped his dick, his wrist flicking up and down the length as he spread the cream she'd left on it, eagerly prepping for her warm depths once more. Sasha wriggled beneath him and moaned, and his dick jumped in his hand, aroused by the sight of her legs bent backwards, opening her to him. He sucked in a breath as he eased himself back into her, doing his damnedest not to completely lose it and fuck her senseless. Planting his leg on the bed, he moved in and out of her, finding his rhythm easily.

"Oh, baby girl...fuck, your pussy feels incredible."

Sasha whimpered, her hand closing around his strong thigh as Joe thrust unrelentingly into her tightness. A wave of heat flooded through him as he watched her fixate on his length driving into her from between her widened legs. He leaned forwards and kissed her lips without breaking stride. "You like what you see huh? My thick dick pounding your pussy deep like that?"

"I love it, baby. Harder. Gimme that big dick." Sasha cried out as he pushed her legs down further, thrusting savagely into her. "Aww shit! Just like that Joe! Yes!"

Still keeping up his rhythm, he licked along her foot, then sucked her big toe into his mouth. "Touch your pussy. Let me see you come."

Sasha's hand left his thigh to dip between her legs. Her back arched off the bed, head thrown back, curses filling the air as she stroked herself. Joe shuddered, having to steady himself as her pussy tightened, luring him that much closer to euphoria. He took her all in; her bouncing breasts, the ecstasy in her eyes, her voice growing louder as she surrendered to him. The base of his dick raked back and forth against her clit, over and over, stretching and stretching her until she unraveled. Sasha screamed as the heat that had spread through her exploded like wildfire, incinerating every inch of her. She went limp on the bed with a soft groan, exhaling with complete pleasure and satisfaction.

Joe crawled back into the bed, easing her legs down to wrap them around his waist, which he knew would give Sasha considerable relief to her back and legs, then covered her with his torso. His face met the hollow of her neck, kissing and suckling her sensitive skin as he kept thrusting into her, deep and hard, but not fast. She cupped the back of his head, her other hand grabbing his ass to pull him in deeper, feeling him gasp into her neck as her fingernails dug into his ass cheek. She kissed the length of his tattooed shoulder before finding his lips with hot, breathy kisses. How she loved him, and the way he kissed her, the way he filled her, physically as well as emotionally. He was part of her now and always would be, and today was only the beginning of that journey.

Panting hard, Joe plunged resolutely into her, each thrust faster and more erratic than the last, until a snarl viciously ripped from between his teeth as the orgasm surged through him and he unloaded hard inside her. "Fuck," he grunted, slumping on top of her, his head dropping onto her chest as he labored to catch his breath. At her gentle nudging, he rolled off her and rested on his back, pulling her against him. Her leg found its way around his waist like always. She rested her face against his chest, lifting her head just for a second to see him gazing down at her, feeling his large hand running down her back, soothing her. "You okay?" he asked, his gaze full of concern and lingering traces of lust.

Words couldn't fully explain her thoughts, but she would try. "I'm perfect. What about you baby?"

His eyes danced with contentment, a big smile lighting up his handsome face. "I'm the happiest person walking this earth. The past two days have felt like a dream."

Sasha smiled. "That's what I told Pam yesterday. This feels like a dream. All of this," she said quietly, biting her lip as tears resurfaced.

But of course, her man – her husband – was there to catch them all, brushing them away with his thumb. "Ain't no dream, baby girl," he told her. "This is you and me. Us. Forever."

She didn't know she could cry so much in a mere span of days. She was so relieved and so happy and so in love with this beautiful man. "I love you," she said, her lips pressing his own. "Always and forever."

He leaned down, rubbing his nose across hers, and kissed her in that gentle way that made them both swoon. "I love you too, baby girl. Always and forever."

* * *

_**I know it went long, but Jasha deserved this. This was THE single toughest chapter I have EVER written, period, lol. I went to a wedding this weekend though, helped a lot with this chapter.**_

_**The song from the first dance is "From This Moment On" by Shania Twain and the Backstreet Boys. That version is so much better IMO. (Well, I'm kinda biased, lol). Take a listen if you want.**_

_**The epilogue is upon us. Kindly review.**_


	61. Epilogue

_**A/N: So this is it. The end of an amazing journey between two characters that I grew to love with every chapter I put out. I'm just as sad as you are that it's over, but as they say, all good things must come to an end. :(**_

_**Thank you **__Siren's Call To The Dead, Ctinaisfashion, darkcloud77, Sasha, princesspeace990, Bharm, CarolReigns, benova13, JxTina, nikki1335, DeeMarie426, ItReignsJustice-619, BillionDollarPrinceStephanie, BrookelynnMV27, too much drama 1225, fenner82, LuxuriaVanitas, Shield316, justkimmy, Lucy1029, ApSnowball, ChelleLew, IRENELOVE83, mitchy21, Tammy __**and**__ princessreigns__** for reviewing the last chapter!**_

_**For the final time on ITDE, enjoy!**_

* * *

_What if I told you it was all meant to be?  
Would you believe me, would you agree?  
It's almost that feelin' that we've met before  
So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy  
When I tell you love has come here and now_

"Boy, you better not drop me on my ass or there will be hell to pay!"

"Oh come on, woman. Since you've known me, have I ever dropped you?"

Sasha wrapped her arms more securely around Joe's neck, giggling as he continued to walk forwards, holding her carefully in his arms. "You don't have to do this whole 'carrying me over the threshold' thing, you know. If it's too much hassle," she said.

Joe rolled his eyes at her fussing. "Relax. I got it. Besides, isn't this what every new bride wants? I heard it brings good luck, and I promised I'd do it so I will." His grip remained firm and steady around her waist and under her knees as he stepped through the front door of their brand new home. He set her down, looking extremely proud of himself, while Sasha slapped his arm with a laugh. She pushed her hair out of her face and looked around. After months of renovations and fittings and moving huge brown cardboard boxes around, their house was finally complete. It looked perfect, just the way they both wanted it. With Alma's careful supervision, the finishing touches had been added while the couple enjoyed their honeymoon. Sasha smiled at the banner that hung at the entrance with the words '_WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME MR. AND MRS. ANOA'I_' written in shiny green on a silver background. Sat on the table underneath the mirror on the wall to their left were a bottle of champagne and two glasses. Alma's welcome gift to them, no doubt.

Now that they had returned from their honeymoon, it was back to reality, although Joe had the rest of the day to look forward to with his new wife before he got back on the road in the morning. For now, they were all alone; T.K. was touring the independent wrestling circuit while Mia was on a week-long school trip. Sasha didn't have to be back at the downtown Grill until the weekend. She would spend the time she had left going over the house and trying to keep busy so she wouldn't miss the kids and her husband too much. "We'll need to organize a housewarming party soon," she said, turning to him. "I'll check for the next available date you're home and set it for then."

Joe shrugged. "If that's what you want."

Sasha raised an eyebrow. "It's gotta be what we _both_ want, babe. If you're not keen on a party then we won't have one. No biggie."

Shaking his head, he wrapped a muscular arm around his wife's shoulders. "Of course we should have a party," he replied. "This house represents the start of so much for us. It'll be good to share it with friends. So whatever plans you make, I'm game."

Her face brightened. Secretly she'd hoped he'd agree. "Okay. Consider it done. But for now, we celebrate together."

She gestured towards the bottle of champagne. Joe picked it up and popped the cork, jumping back when some of the liquor spilled to the floor. He quickly poured each of them a glass and handed one to Sasha. "To what do we toast?" he asked.

Sasha smiled. "To many years of great memories in this home," she began, "Hopefully, we can kick off with some gold around this fine waist of yours." Her fingers trickled down to his lower abdomen, where a championship belt would rest.

He flashed a big grin in response. "That would be a great start," he agreed. "Anything else?"

"To great success all around for each of us…for you, me, Ty and Mia…and the babies that might come along the way." Her smile broadened. "I'm sure they'll be running around these floors soon enough."

As she spoke, she felt his breathing change, saw his eyes glow with hope and excitement. "I really hope so," he told her softly.

Sasha leaned into him. "I know. And if this past week was anything to go by, they'll be here sooner than we expect."

"We can always get some more practice in, just to make sure," Joe suggested.

Sasha gaped at her husband in astonishment. "Babe, we went at it all week!"

He shrugged. "Don't mean we can't continue. We've not christened the house yet. How many rooms in this place again?"

_Damn._ "Six bedrooms, seven bathrooms. So like, thirteen." Her eyes bulged at the knowing, shit-eating grin on his face. "Really, Joe? _All_ of them?"

"And the kitchen. And the den. And the pool," he added, with a loaded look in his eyes that tugged her loins. Sasha groaned and pressed her face against his arm. "You are insatiable," she whispered. "You've made _me_ insatiable."

"You love me for it," Joe grinned. "We can start on that couch over there," he pointed, "the kitchen counter, then the den, maybe work our way upstairs. We're definitely gonna do the stairs."

Shaking her head in bewilderment, she said, "I don't know how you do it. I don't even know how I keep up with you."

"You keep up just fine, _nani_. Though I never have a problem going at your pace. We'll get around to the christening later." He lifted his champagne again. "For now, we toast."

Oh yeah. That's where they were at before talk became all sexual again. He was very good at that. Not that she minded. "Let's keep it simple," she concluded. "How about…to you and me."

"That sounds good." He held his glass up to her, gazing into her eyes. "To us."

She grinned and said, before clinking her glass against his own, "To us."

* * *

_Everything changes but beauty remains  
Something so tender I can't explain  
Well, I may be dreaming but till I awake  
Can we make this dream last forever?  
And I'll cherish all the love that we share_

_Nine weeks later_

"The winner of this match, and the _new_ WWE World Heavyweight Champion…Roman Reigns!"

Lilian Garcia's announcement rang in his ears, yet the words didn't sound right. Didn't sound real. Even when the heavy piece of gold was thrust into his tired arms by the referee. He wanted to collapse back down to the canvas from pure exhaustion, but somehow he was able to haul himself atop the middle turnbuckle. The lights were bright and almost blinding, his entrance music and the fireworks seemed to explode right in his ears. Yet, as he raised the piece of history that he could finally call his own in the air, he realized this was the only place he wanted to be, right there in the corner of that ring, high up for the world to see. He'd dreamed about this moment since he was a child, and somehow it had come true. If he had his way, he would never wake up.

He held back his emotions as the fans, after months of toiling to win them over, applauded him all the way up the ramp and to Gorilla. Backstage, he valiantly fought back tears as he embraced Hunter, Stephanie and Vince, the three people that changed his life. His eyes stung as most of the locker room surrounded him, clapping his back and congratulating him. Even his opponents tonight, Colby and Jon, were choked up, all three of them having just achieved a collective dream. Together, just like the way they started on the main roster. His throat was congested as he found his family. His mother and his father. His wife; the tears in her eyes as he stumbled towards them. He was still doing fine up until that point, up until Mia broke away from Patricia and rushed into his arms, and that was when he finally lost it. Breaking down in tears, he dropped his vest and lifted the ten-year-old into his arms, stroking her hair as her face pressed his neck. All his five senses were in overdrive as he held her tightly to him, barely cognizant of Sasha's comforting arm around his waist, her lips gently meeting his bare, sweat-slick shoulder. She said nothing, but he knew she felt everything he was feeling. Pride. Fulfilment. Relief.

He hated to leave them, but there were formalities and obligations to meet and festivities to attend in his honor. Thankfully it all soon came to an end, and he was quick to return to his family. He and Sasha strolled back to their hotel suite together, his arm and his WWE World title resting on her shoulder. It was very much hers as it was his. The rest of their night would be spent with her tending to his bruises. He, Jon and Colby beat the living shit out of each other, all in the quest to provide the greatest WrestleMania main event match in recent memory. They'd done just that, he knew that, and fans and critics agreed in early reviews of the grand event. It still blew the Samoan's mind that the company was putting their faith in him after Colby had done such a great job as Champion before him. It hadn't sunk it yet. He wasn't sure if it ever would.

"You okay, handsome?"

Sasha's voice was a soft murmur in his ear. He looked down, meeting her expectant gaze. "You're quiet. Still sinking in, huh?" she inquired.

Nodding, he exhaled slowly and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Yeah. There's a lot going through my head."

"I can imagine," Sasha accepted. She had watched him all evening, watched how the smile never left his face. He'd have a lot more to smile about later tonight.

"And what about you, baby?" It was his turn to ask. "You were kinda quiet tonight. You didn't eat much and you even turned down your favorite Mojito." He tried to put two and two together and frowned. "Don't tell me you're back to that whole weight loss thing?"

Sasha grinned at her husband, rubbing the side of his waist where her hand rested. "Everything's fine, babe. Don't worry about me. Today is all about you. You're the WWE World Heavyweight Champion."

Damn. It would take a while for him to get used to hearing that. He slotted in his key card and hung back to let Sasha into the suite first. "I got you something," he told her.

"Like a present?"

"Yeah." He shut the door behind him, moving to his wardrobe to retrieve said object and then walking to their bed. "Wanted to wait till after the show to give it to you."

"Well guess what? I got you a present too. Something to celebrate your win with. And speaking of…I believe this is yours." Carefully, she folded up the title belt and laid it on his lap, watching his face brighten as she did so. "Gimme a sec, I'll go get it."

Curious, Joe watched her disappear through the door to the other side of the suite then reemerge with a bag before she settled down beside him on the plush bed. "I want mine first though," she declared, a sly smile on her face.

Joe chuckled. She already had her hand held out and her eyes closed. "All right. Ladies first." He placed a small wrapped box in her hand, enjoying the grin that illuminated her gorgeous face when she opened her eyes and looked down. Trying not to tear the wrapping paper to pieces, Sasha opened his gift. Dangling from a delicate silver chain was a diamond encrusted heart-shaped pendant with a silver infinity symbol entwined around the heart. The note attached to the box contained only five words in his handwriting.

_I love you till infinity._

Her eyes welled up as she leaned over and kissed him. "Aww, baby. Right back at'cha." She sat her gift on the bed next to her, her eyebrow raised in confusion as she watched him look around as though searching for something. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for my own present," he said optimistically. "A fishing rod perhaps?" Fishing was a pastime he'd become passionate about. He'd been hinting at her for weeks that he wanted a fishing rod and hopefully now he would finally have one.

Sasha rolled her eyes at her husband and his five-minute-long interests. "Oh please. I ain't gettin' you no lame-ass fishing rod. I know you; you'll be bored with it by the end of the month 'cause you can't lift weights with 'em. If you wanna fish so bad, follow Curtis Axel back to Minnesota." She handed him a slim silver envelope. "I got you two things. Starting with this."

Joe sighed aloud, disappointed. "Fine." He carefully opened the envelope, pulled out two tickets and broke into a huge grin. "Chris Rock's Tampa show…with backstage passes? Hell yeah! Chris is awesome! Thanks babe." He kissed his wife, then gave her one last hopeful look. "So…no fishing rod?"

Sasha smacked him upside the head and then gave him a small, red bag with the San Francisco 49ers logo on it. He looked inside the bag and withdrew a red box, with the same logo on the lid. He looked back at her, puzzled. "You do know they send me their gear for free, right?" he asked and quickly ducked, narrowly avoiding her hand aiming for his head again.

"How about you open it first before runnin' your big mouth, hmm? How about that?" Sasha scolded.

Laughing, Joe returned his attention to the box. He removed the lid, his laughter evaporating when he found a tiny 49ers jersey with 'DADDY 1' emblazoned on the back, folded neatly next to a red pair of 49ers baby booties. He picked up the jersey, unfolded it, and saw it was infant-sized. It took several seconds for all of it to register in his brain. His head snapped back to a now grinning Sasha, staring at her like his life depended on it, a million different things coursing through his mind and body.

"Sasha…" he whispered, his wide eyes asking her, _begging_ her, to tell him this was not some sort of cruel joke.

Running one hand along her belly, she nodded, beaming from ear to ear. "That's right. You've knocked me up, big boy."

He gaped at her, floored. Stunned. He had to be dreaming. Temporarily unable to speak, he wrapped her up in a hug, tears stinging his eyes for the umpteenth time tonight. He laid his forehead against hers, his chest heaving with excitement. "You…you're pregnant? We're actually having a baby?" He had to ask. He simply could not wrap his mind around the news.

Biting her lip, she nodded her head again. "I'm about nine weeks along. I only found out last week."

He did the math in his head. Their honeymoon was roughly nine weeks ago. It could have been any one of the many steamy romps they had that week, or the day they christened the house. "And everything's okay?" he questioned, his elation suddenly melting into trepidation. "How do you feel?"

"I feel good," Sasha nodded. "Well, as good as a pregnant woman can feel. Everything's good so far according to Dr. Sawyer. I had two positive tests, then I went to her and confirmed it. I wanted to surprise you, that's why I didn't tell you right away." She lifted a finger and brushed it over his cheekbone. "I hope that's okay."

"It's perfectly fine, babe." It all made sense to him now. No wonder she'd stayed away from the Mojitos. Actually, if he thought about it, she'd declined alcohol throughout Mania week. She was already working to take care of herself and their child, and the thought caused a rush of affection to wash over him. Suddenly all of tonight's achievements paled in comparison to this. There were no words to describe what he was currently feeling. Sasha was pregnant. She was going to have a baby. Their baby.

In a burst of inspiration, he laid his head on her lap, nuzzling her still-flat belly. "Hi little one. I'm your daddy," he whispered against her stomach. "Your mommy and I have wanted you for so long. We can't wait to see you soon." He looked back up at his wife with eyes as wet as hers. He sat back up and engulfed her in another hug, tears rolling down his cheeks. "This is the best surprise I've ever gotten, baby girl. I love you." He couldn't stop kissing her, couldn't stop repeating those three precious words to her, because he'd never meant them as much as he did now. At last, he was going to be a father, with his wife, the woman of his dreams and the perfect mother. Today had to be one of the best days of his life.

* * *

_Six months later_

Today had to be one of the worst days of his life.

Joe had paced the length of the private waiting room at least fifty times. His mind hadn't stopped racing and his heart hadn't stopped pounding, not since he got the phone call from Pam hours ago that Sasha was in labor. She wasn't supposed to be due for another three weeks so this was completely out of the blue, and it had all been one big blur as he rushed like a madman to the airport. Waiting through the hour-long flight delay had been the most nerve-wracking time of his life. Sitting on that plane for the two hours and forty-five minutes it took to get to Tampa from Toronto was just as agonizing. And then he'd finally arrived at the hospital only to be told that Sasha was in surgery, and he was shocked he didn't combust right then and there. The nurse had promised more news later, but nothing so far. This felt like a nightmare, a very cruel rib that he did not find funny at all.

Fed up with waiting, he made his way towards the door. "I'm gonna go find a nurse," he said.

T.K. looked up from his place beside Pam, both of them looking as exhausted as Joe felt. It was well into the night and neither had gotten any sleep. "There's no point," said T.K., "If they had any updates by now they'd tell us."

"I can't just sit here on my ass when I don't know what's going on with my wife! I need to see her!"

"Leati, you need to take a seat and calm down," Patricia said calmly, "Getting mad is not going to help the situation."

"Do as your mother says, son," Sika instructed, gently but firmly enough to make Joe obey. He puffed out a breath, his broad shoulders sagging, before he shuffled towards his father and plopped down in the chair next to him. Sika put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure everything is fine," he said softly, frowning at the look on his son's face. "Sasha is in good hands. And she's a tough girl. You know that."

He wanted to agree with his father. He really did want to believe that it would be alright in the end. But Sasha had endured so much difficulty with this pregnancy, right from day one. All the fears she'd managed to talk herself out of had come rushing back in the space of eight months. And now she was in surgery; only God knew what was going on right now. He could only hope and pray that she made it through. Gosh, she _had_ to make it through. He didn't know what he would do if anything happened to her.

"Daddy?"

He looked to his right and saw Mia settle in the seat next to him. "Hey, little lady." Fuck. He'd almost forgotten about his other girl in all his worry and panic, not taking into consideration how _she_ must be feeling at a time like this. She was still so young, most likely confused about what was going on right now with her mom. "What's up?" He tried to smile, but it looked – and felt – more like a grimace.

Mia shuffled closer and put her arms around him. "Don't be sad, Daddy. Mama's gonna be okay. Don't worry."

He wished he shared her optimism. Regardless, he had to be strong for her and for Sasha, for all of them. He held Mia close, kissing the top of her head. "You're right sweetheart. She's gonna be just fine." If Sasha made it through this – no, not if, _when _– they were done. No more pregnancies, no more surgeries and pain for her. The buck stopped here. This outcome was far greater than he'd ever hoped for so he had no complaints whatsoever.

Everyone's head popped up when an hour later, the door creaked open and a female Doctor who looked like she just got out of high school walked into the room. "Sasha Anoa'i?" she said, her gaze sweeping over all of them.

Joe leapt to his feet and rushed over. "I'm her husband. How is she? How are they? What happened?" he asked, feeling Patricia coming to stand beside him.

The Doctor looked up again, visibly taken aback by the wrestler's size, but she sobered back up immediately. "I'm Doctor Leary," she said. "First of all, I apologize for keeping you waiting. Luckily I have good news all the way." She smiled. "First off, the babies were born in perfect health. Not unusual for premature births especially when closer to their due dates, but that's always a good sign."

Patricia squealed with delight as Joe shut his eyes in relief. "Thank God. What about my wife?"

The Doctor took a deep breath. "Your wife was in labor for only five hours, and she was not fully dilated when the babies started to arrive. Because of that we had to perform a Caesarean. She lost a considerable amount of blood and lost consciousness in the process. But given her previous history, we were prepared for that and performed the surgery as soon as the babies were delivered. We completed the surgery about an hour ago and we let her sleep without interruption since. It was important that she had that period of undisturbed recovery and monitoring. In another couple of minutes she should wake without any difficulty. The babies have been moved into her room."

"Can I see them?" Joe asked, numb.

Doctor Leary nodded. "You come with me first, and the rest of your family can join you in a few minutes." She extended a hand to him. "Congratulations, Mr. Anoa'i."

Joe shook it firmly, fighting the urge to engulf her in a bear-hug for taking care of his family. "Thank you Doctor." His legs felt like rubber as he followed her out of the waiting room and down the end of a hallway. She pushed open the door to their right and motioned him inside, then shut the door to give them privacy.

He stood frozen, swallowing hard at the sight of his wife. He felt like he hadn't seen her in eternity, when in reality it had only been a few days. He stood there for a minute, staring at her from across the room. She looked small and fragile in the hospital bed, surrounded by pillows and sheets. Her eyes were closed, her head turned to the side and facing him, her chest rising and falling gently as she slept. The baby bump he'd become accustomed to seeing was gone. Joe strode towards the bed, covering the hand resting on her stomach with his and kissing her on the forehead, silently thanking God for getting her through this. He stood back upright, and slowly, cautiously, he crossed the short distance to the spot where a midwife stood, his heart hammering with every step he took.

The midwife smiled at the look on his face, a look she had seen on many a new father. "Here they are," she announced, and then gestured towards two bassinets, one swathed in soft pink, the other in baby blue. "The little lady was born first. I think her brother was feeling chivalrous." Chortling at her own joke, she made Joe wash his hands in the little sink in the corner, then carefully lifted the baby in pink out of its bassinet.

She was so little. He was almost afraid he would break her if he held her, but he sucked it up and allowed the midwife to place her in his arms. The baby was barely as long as his forearm. Sweeping a finger across the full head of dark hair, he held his breath when her eyes cracked open to reveal bright grey pupils that mirrored his own, her tongue darting out of her mouth as she squirmed a little, wiggling the tiniest ten fingers he'd ever seen. Sniffling softly, his vision grew blurry as he gazed down at the baby boy, sleeping peacefully, and felt an overwhelming surge of pride and love and protectiveness for both of them. His daughter…his little princess. She would grow up to be as beautiful and smart as her mother. His boy, the man of the house. He would protect his mom and his sisters and back up his older brother. Joe wouldn't be too strict with either of them, neither would he be too lenient, just like he was with Mia. He silently vowed that they would never go through a day doubting his love for them. He would never tire of telling them he loved them more than anything in the entire world.

"That better be the babies crying."

He spun around at the sound of his wife's tired voice. "_Nani_." In a flash he was by her side, sitting on the edge of the bed and pressing his lips to her temple, relieved to see her awake. "Gosh, I was so worried. How do you feel?"

"Exhausted. Sore as heck. I can barely remember anything," Sasha murmured, struggling to sit upright.

"Careful baby, don't stress yourself," said Joe, a tinge of sadness appearing in his eyes. "I'm sorry I missed the birth. I tried to get here sooner but-"

"You've got nothing to be sorry for. You're here now. I can't believe you even managed to make it all the way from Toronto at such short notice." Her lips lifted in a subdued version of her usually glowing smile as she caught sight of the little bundle in Joe's arms.

Joe followed her gaze and smiled. "Someone wants to say hi to their mommy," he stated.

Sasha extended her arms for him to gently place the baby girl in, her breath taken away the second she laid eyes on her. "Hey, sweetie," she crooned, gently rocking the baby back and forth. "Have they got your eyes?" she asked him.

"Princess does. Our boy hasn't woken up yet so I can't tell." He went for the second bassinet, carefully picking up the boy and returning to Sasha's bed. Sasha's heart swelled with love as Joe tenderly caressed their new son's little face with his finger. He looked back at her, tears streaming freely down his cheeks.

"They're beautiful," he whispered, leaning down to press kiss after kiss to her lips. "They're so beautiful Sash, so perfect. Thank you. Thank you so much." His tears flowed unabashedly as he rested his head against hers. He was so proud of his girl, so in awe of her strength. He was more in love with her than ever, if that was even possible.

Sasha tried to respond but couldn't. All she could do was cry with him and stare in awe at the two lives they'd created together, lives they would cherish and protect until their last breaths. Neither of them would forget this day as long as they lived.

* * *

_Fifteen years later, Hall of Fame night, WrestleMania_

_I swear to God these kids will be the death of me. _Sasha puffed out another breath and smacked the door out of her way. "Y'all better be dressed or I'ma put a whoopin' on somebody! Try me!" she announced.

"Mama relax. We're ready," Mia said, focusing on the mirror as she finished with her makeup, her fifteen-year-old sister Giselle doing the same beside her. Sasha walked up behind her younger daughter. "Y'all ain't ready nothing. Giselle's dress isn't zipped properly," she said, dragging the zipper up the light blue dress. "And I thought your hair was going up."

"I changed my mind," said Giselle, sweeping her long dark hair over her shoulder. "This style fits my outfit better."

Mia put her lipstick away and stood upright, facing her fidgety mother. "Ooh Mama, you look beautiful," she observed, brushing down her eccentric purple dress, which matched her purple lipstick perfectly. "Why you so nervous? You've been fussy all day. You're fussy when you're nervous."

Of course, her children knew her well. Sasha glanced down at herself and sighed. "It's your daddy's big night. I just want everything to be perfect."

"Everything's gonna be fine, Mama. You're just being all OCD again," said Giselle, her grey eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Giselle Maeva Anoa'i, don't make me pop you upside your head," Sasha warned.

"Gigi is Ma threatening you again?" T.K. laughed, walking into the suite with his four-year-old son Zeke perched on his hip. Behind them, Joe and Giselle's twin brother Micah, strolled in, all four males looking very dapper in their dark suits. But there was one problem, in Sasha's mind at least. "Micah, that wasn't the tie I picked out for you."

The teenager, almost as tall as his father, shrugged, fiddling with his navy blue tie. "I preferred a darker color. I'm old enough now Ma, I can dress myself."

"Relax, it's just a tie," Joe said, knowing how his wife could get.

Sasha glanced at T.K., noticed the similar blue tie under his neck, and rolled her eyes. Micah probably switched his tie because T.K.'s was blue as well. She wasn't surprised. For as long as she could remember, Micah always wanted to do whatever Tyson was doing. He worshipped the ground his older brother walked on, even more so than his father.

T.K. distracted Sasha by kissing her cheek and then cajoling Zeke to do the same. It worked, as Sasha instantly brightened, taking her grandson and raining kisses all over his face. "Look at my handsome Zekey Boy," she cooed, and Zeke squealed and returned every kiss, basking in his grandmother's affection.

"Angie had to go check on her folks so I thought me and the little man would come hang out here," T.K. said, looking at his sisters. "Y'all better hurry up. Last year we arrived late because of you."

"Don't you start, Ty. We're ready," Mia retorted, waving her arms. "Gather round guys, we can't leave without taking some pictures." She handed Sasha's camera to her. "Here, Mama. You're the pro."

For the next ten minutes it was all about flashing cameras and clicking phones and poses. Sasha took pictures of Joe with each of the kids, then a group photo with all of them, and then with Joe and the twins together. Both looked so much like their father. The grey eyes, lustrous hair and similar athletic frames all came from him. The only features that gave away Sasha's contribution was their skin tone, darker than their father's but lighter than hers, and Giselle already had a desirable figure like her mother's; hips, backside and all. The teenager wasn't short of suitors, but most kept their distance mainly because of her intimidating dad. As it stood, she had eyes for Titus O'Neil's youngest son, Titus Jr. Knowing her indecisive daughter, Sasha knew that would probably change by tomorrow morning.

"Gigi how do I look? Do I look gangsta? Like I'm from the 'hood?" Micah was asking his twin sister, flicking up his collar and making what he thought were cool faces for the camera.

Sasha promptly snorted and gave him the stank eye. "Pipe your privileged ass down, boy. You wouldn't know 'hood if it hit you on the head with a sledgehammer."

T.K. burst out laughing at the comment, then spread out his arms in an exhibitive manner when it was time for his solo shot. "Take a good look, ladies. It's not every day you see the great Gin Malone in a suit."

"No offense baby, but Roman Reigns will always look better than Gin Malone in a suit," Sasha stated, winking at her husband, who winked right back at his wife.

"Appreciate that, babe." Joe came closer to Sasha, frowning when T.K., Mia and the twins instantly groaned and began making gagging noises at their parents, causing him to roll his eyes. "Alright, alright, get outta here," he griped, shooing them away, "We'll meet you outside in a sec."

"No funny business you two, we got somewhere to be," Giselle, the mouthy one in the family, spoke up.

"Out!"

Sasha watched with a laugh as they all filed out one by one. As soon as the door shut, Joe pulled her against his body and kissed her passionately, taking her by surprise. But it quickly faded away and she returned the kiss, gripping his shoulders to keep him close. She felt his hand on her bare back, his fingers pushing into her skin. A soft sound escaped her throat when he deepened the kiss and his other hand slipped down to squeeze her backside generously. Even after all these years, his mouth on hers still made her heart flutter. He could still turn her to putty in his very capable hands. When they broke apart, she was certain she was still standing only because he was holding her. She looked up at his face and broke into a fit of giggles. "You got lipstick all over you, handsome," she said, finding a wet wipe for his mouth.

"Sorry. I've been dying to kiss you all day," Joe murmured, stepping back to drink in her appearance. "Damn, you look good enough to eat, _nani_," he remarked. Her long-sleeved white fishtail gown covered up all of her front but revealed most of her back, tastefully mixing sexy with elegant and age-appropriate. She was fifty-two years old and Joe still thought she was the sexiest woman ever.

Sasha rubbed his bicep and smiled. "You look so good, Daddy. I love the all-black on you."

"It's a throwback to our very first Slammy Awards," he grinned. "All the way back in 2013. I think the fans will remember when they see us tonight."

"They're wrestling fans, they never forget anything." She double-checked the knot on his black tie and then looked up. "Still miss your hair?" she asked him.

Joe patted the top of his shorn head and shrugged. "Not really. I'm kinda used to the short cut now."

"Once upon a time your hair was longer and way prettier than mine. I'm glad it's gone," she said jokingly.

"Liar. You loved touching it and pulling on it," he winked.

"I did. Got your speech locked down?"

"I think so. I'm not as nervous as I thought I'd feel. That's all you. You get nervous enough for both of us," he quipped.

She sighed. "I just want tonight to be perfect for you."

"It's perfect already. I got my girl and my babies here with me." He took a deep breath, his expression puzzled. "Damn. I'm a Hall of Famer, Sash. Just like my pops. That's fuckin' weird."

Sasha smiled encouragingly. "That's fuckin' awesome, cuz you deserve it. You busted your ass all those years and it's about damn time you were recognized if you asked me. And don't forget. I told you it would happen."

And he remembered; her gentle whisper in his ear all those years ago, a prophecy that would come to fruition in a mere couple of hours. "You did."

"Mm-hmm. Now you know what you need to do tonight," she said, grinning when he rolled his eyes. "Come on Daddy, you know the drill. Tell me."

The Samoan saw the twinkle in his wife's eye as she waited for him to repeat the words they'd pepped each other up with for so many years. "Be safe, have fun…and just kill it."

"Exactly." Patting his chest, Sasha took a step back. "You look amazing, baby. I can't wait to see you and the guys up on that stage tonight."

"Yeah, it's gonna be fun. You are absolutely breathtaking, baby girl." He kissed her lips once more and laced his fingers through hers. "Let's go. I wanna show you off in this dress."

The Hall of Fame red carpet was as star-studded as ever. Sasha had been to so many of these things she now knew what to expect. She watched T.K. walk down with his wife of six years Angelia, a former WWE Diva who wrestled as Jada, and their son Zeke. Now thirty-five, Ty was enjoying his ninth year in the WWE as Gin Malone, and was scheduled to turn heel tomorrow night by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract to win the WWE title for the second time. Twenty-six-year old Mia was a big-time commercial dancer and choreographer, and had her own professional dance studio in Los Angeles called MMA, named after herself, Mia Morgan Anoa'i. Giselle walked down the red carpet arm-in-arm with her best friend, Pam and Elgin's daughter, Imani, who was now seventeen. Imani's little sister, eleven-year-old Sasha, trailed behind them. Family and friends were out in full force tonight as The Shield was to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Jon, Colby and Joe dressed in matching all-black suits as they prepared to cement their legendary status. Over the years the group reunited a number of times, though all three members had stellar individual careers. Joe retired from wrestling years ago and was now making movies, following in Dwayne's footsteps. To know his contribution was not forgotten by the WWE was heartwarming to Sasha. Sitting in the front row, surrounded by their children, their daughter-in-law and their grandson, she watched with pride and joy as the boys' close friend, Joey Mercury inducted The Shield into the Hall of Fame. The speeches were brilliant, with Jon cracking one joke after the other, but sobering up to thank his girlfriend Jules, Colby paying tribute to his wife Katie and their two daughters Kendra and Rita. Sasha had managed to keep it together so far, but all of that changed when Joe segued from his wrestling stories into the thank you's.

"You know, there's so many more people that helped me get to where I am today. But I wouldn't be standing here today without the love and support of my family. I'd like to thank my mom and my dad…God rest his soul…I want to thank my brother and my sisters for setting me straight all those years and keeping my hyperactive butt in check." The room rippled with laughter. "And last but not least…I wanna thank my wife." He looked down to his right, at the very front where his three girls sat, Sasha in the middle with Mia and Giselle flanking either side of her, fingers intertwined. Holding Sasha's gaze, determined not to break down, he powered through the rest of his tribute.

"_Ku'u nani._ My queen. Thank you for sticking by me all these years. Thank you for our beautiful children and for everything we've shared together. Words cannot describe what you mean to me. Tonight on this special night, we celebrate our love. I love you baby girl, always and forever."

Ugh, damn him for making her cry like this. Tears blurred her vision as she blew him a kiss. Mia and Giselle nudged her playfully, flashing teasing smiles as applause rained all around them. She soaked it all in on Joe's behalf. It had been a long, tough road for him, and he deserved all the adulation. Tonight, she was the proudest wife in the building, possibly the proudest wife in the world.

Hours later, as the night began to age, Sasha stood at the balcony of their hotel suite, her slender hands closed around the railing. The stars littered the vast blanket of darkness above. She could hear laughter from inside the suite next door, where her children were gathered, still energetic from the sound of things. It had been a long, fun day, and there was still tomorrow to think about. It was T.K.'s seventh WrestleMania. She remembered him signing his developmental deal like it was yesterday. Hell, she could still remember attending her first WrestleMania and her first Hall of Fame ceremony when she and Joe were still dating, and it turned out to be the first of many. Gosh, where had time gone?

"Hey beautiful. What'chu doin' out here all by yourself?"

She turned just in time to see her husband step through the sliding glass door onto the balcony, smiling as he approached her. He'd discarded his suit jacket and tie, and his black dress shirt had the first few buttons open, giving her a glimpse of the tattoo on his chest. "You okay?" he quizzed.

She nodded. "I'm good, Daddy. Was just thinking about stuff." Her eyes scanned his gorgeous features, locking on his smoldering grey eyes. "Damn near twenty years together and you still look at me like that," she said.

"Like how?"

"Like I'm the only woman in the world."

Joe smiled. That was a no-brainer. "For me, you _are_ the only woman in the world. Always will be. Twirl for me, baby." He lifted her hand in the air, pleased that she obliged him. "Mm-hmm. Still as beautiful as the first time we met."

"And you are still as handsome, my king," she replied, gesturing towards his hand. "Nice ring."

Joe held up his right hand, where his Hall of Fame ring wrapped snugly around his fourth finger. "Thanks. I love it. It looks good. But I think I like this one better." Flashing his trademark sweet smile, he raised his left hand, showing off the white-gold wedding band Sasha herself had placed on his finger so many years ago.

Sasha giggled. "I'm a little biased, but I gotta agree with you on that one," she remarked as he reached for her, circling his arms around her waist and holding her close. Her head laid on his chest, the two of them basking in the cool open air and each other's company. His brows furrowed at the way she held him a bit tighter than normal. And then he heard a sob. Puzzled, he looked down at her. "_Nani_?"

He got only a sniff in response. Concerned, he gently tilted her chin up to meet his eyes. "Hey. What's wrong?"

Shaking her head, she wiped her face with the edge of her hand. "I just…I wish your dad was here." She kept her head on his chest, her voice raspy with sorrow as she spoke. "I wish Pam was here."

It was like a hit to the gut. It always was. A lump rose in his throat. His father had passed on from natural causes seven years ago. About a year after that, Pam lost her short but valiant fight with breast cancer. Joe pursed his lips grimly as he recalled that fateful day. Losing Pam had devastated everyone but Sasha was hit the hardest. He'd watched helplessly as she shut down physically and emotionally, and it was the toughest thing he'd ever witnessed. Over a year went by before she started to resemble his wife again. He never wanted to go through that again. To honor her best friend and her first mother figure, Sasha, along with Elgin, set up and was now running the Pam &amp; Irene Foundation, a non-profit organization for breast cancer research, and had recently partnered up with the WWE. Joe knew Sasha's active involvement in the organization was her own little way of coping with Pam's passing. Deep down, they were both still grieving. Pam had had such a huge impact in both their lives and it was a loss they were still struggling to recover from. "So do I, sweetheart. So do I," he murmured, his lips brushing her hair.

"I know they're both so proud of you right now," said Sasha. "Sika was always so proud of you. Always bragged about you main-eventing shows. And Pam always referred to you as her brother-in-law, even when we were just dating."

Joe managed a short laugh, trying not to get emotional. He missed the hell out of both of them. It warmed his heart to know he always had his dad's blessing and support, most especially when it came to marrying his wife. "Remember how we met, all those years ago?" he asked, switching to happier subjects.

A chuckle escaped Sasha's lips at the memory. "When you nearly ran me over with your big-ass self in that grocery store? How could I ever forget?" she smirked.

He groaned. "It was an accident!"

"Right." She rolled her eyes playfully. "I still have the napkin you wrote your phone number on."

He looked at her in surprise. "I didn't know that."

She smiled. "Uh huh. It reminds me of how scared I was, not knowing what to expect. Not knowing what this good-looking, younger guy was about. But I overcame that fear by making that call and now I know what he's all about." She stared at him with a smile so tender that his heart leapt. "He's the most incredible person I've ever met, and he's the most amazing husband and father. I love every bit of him and I'm so proud to be his wife."

Joe's face softened. "You don't know how good I feel when you say stuff like that."

"It's true. Making that phone call was the best decision I ever made."

"I'm super glad you did. I loved getting to know you. Still do. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me."

At this, Sasha's face crumpled, more tears rolling down her face as he caressed her cheek. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that her life would turn out like this. She'd dived into the deep end, taken a big risk with her heart, and it had paid off in a huge way. She found passionate, unconditional, life-altering love with the man of her dreams, and could now boast of a marriage and a relationship that was still going strong nearly twenty years on. Things hadn't always been easy, not at all. But they always found ways to make it through and that was what was important. "Thank you, Joe."

The Samoan frowned. "For what?"

"For loving me so much. For trusting me with your heart, with your family, your future. For putting up with me."

He gripped her chin between his thumb and forefinger. "I meant every word I said tonight. Thank you for loving me through all these years and for never giving up on me. You're the only one for me, Sasha. I really hope you know that."

Sasha nodded her head. "I know that because every day, you show me. And I believe you every time. And I will never give up on you," she vowed. "I'll always be there for you, my love. Always."

His eyes flared intensely, entranced by her beautiful words. Framing her face in his large hands, he bent down and brushed his lips against hers. Sasha's arms wound around his neck, cupping the back of his head as they kissed long and slow and deep, conveying every emotion they felt into the embrace. Their foreheads rested against the other's as she ran her fingers down his cheek, her heart soaring when he turned his head to press his lips to the rings on her finger.

"Always and forever," he whispered.

"Always and forever," she replied, barely able to get the words out through the overwhelming happiness engulfing her.

With one last quick kiss, he wound a muscled arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's head back inside and go save the kids from T.K.'s bad jokes," he said. "It's gonna rub off on Zeke if we're not careful."

"I think we might be a little too late for that. You didn't hear the atrocious joke he cracked at Axxess earlier today," Sasha laughed, leaning into her husband as he led her back into their suite to rejoin their family, shutting the glass door and closing them off from the rest of the world.

_A moment like this, some people wait a lifetime  
For a moment like this, some people search forever  
For that one special kiss  
Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me  
Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_

_**THE END.**_

* * *

_***drops pen* **_

_**And that's it.**_

_**This has been such a fantastic journey. I am so happy at the way it's turned out. Thank you all SO much for showing ITDE so much love and support. I looked back at the first batch of reviews and some of you have followed this story literally from the beginning and never stopped reviewing. I am truly grateful. For all the follows, the favorites, the feedback, the PMs, I thank you all.**_

_**I regret to inform you that there won't be a sequel. I think I exhausted every scenario in this story and literally have nothing to offer for a possible follow up. That might change but as it stands it looks highly unlikely. There's really nothing left and I don't want to get anyone's hopes up. However, I am considering a one-shot of their honeymoon, and another undisclosed one-shot that's rattling around in my brain. If anyone would like to see those in the near future, kindly let me know in your review. Would love it if I finished ITDE off with 1,300 reviews. ;-)**_

_**Thank you so much my loves! You're all awesome.**_

_**Lyrics from 'A Moment Like This' – Leona Lewis version.**_


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